Smartphones of the series Samsung Galaxy are famous for their reliability and functionality, but even the most powerful models begin to work slower over time due to full memory. Messenger WhatsApp is one of the main "eaters" of free space, as it automatically saves all received media files, documents and correspondence histories.
Gigabytes of unnecessary data accumulated over months and years can lead to the device starting to slow down, photos will not be saved, and the system will issue a warning about lack of space. Regular storage optimization allows you to return your phone to its former speed and free up valuable resources for new applications.
In this material we will look in detail at how to properly and safely clean WhatsApp on Android Samsung without losing important correspondence. You will learn about built-in cleaning tools, manually deleting files through Explorer, and automatic media management settings.
Using the built-in storage management tool
The safest and easiest way to free up space is to use the standard function that the messenger developers have implemented directly into the application settings. This method allows you to visually assess how much space different types of files occupy and delete only what is unnecessary.
First, you need to open the application and go to the settings menu. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen, then select Settings. In the list that opens, find the section Data and storage and click on the button Storage management.
The system will analyze the database and show you summary information. At the top of the screen you will see the total amount of space taken up and a list of chats that are consuming the most resources. Usually these are group conversations or dialogues with active exchange of videos and photos.
- 📊 Click on any chat from the list to see details: how much space photos, videos, documents or voice messages take up.
- 🗑️ You can select specific files with checkmarks and delete them in bulk by clicking on the trash can icon at the top of the screen.
- 📹 Pay attention to the "Over 5 MB" section, where the heaviest files sent by you or your contacts are collected.
Using this tool is preferable to manual deletion, as it automatically updates the messenger database. After cleaning, the files disappear not only from the phone memory, but also from the correspondence history, which prevents the appearance of broken links.
Before mass deleting files from the "More than 5 MB" section, open each video to make sure that it does not contain important information that you will want to watch later.
Clearing the application cache through the Android settings
In addition to user data, the application accumulates temporary files known as cache. This data speeds up the loading of images and the operation of the interface, but over time it can grow to hundreds of megabytes without carrying any payload.
To delete the cache on your smartphone Samsung, go to the main phone settings. Find the section Applications in the menu or through the search at the top of the screen. In the list of installed apps, find WhatsApp and click on it to open the application card.
Inside the application menu, select the item Memory (or "Storage" depending on the version of the shell One UI). Here you will see two buttons: "Clear data" and "Clear cache". You need exactly the second option.
⚠️ Attention: Never click the "Clear data" button unless you want to completely reset the application. This action will delete all your settings, account and local copies of conversations, requiring you to re-register and restore from the backup.
After clicking the clear cache button, the amount of memory occupied will instantly decrease. This procedure is absolutely safe for your personal messages and media files, as it deletes only temporary technical files.
Regularly clearing the cache (once every 1-2 months) helps maintain stable operation of the messenger without the risk of losing personal data.
Manually deleting files through the Samsung My Files explorer
For users who prefer Full control over the file system; the manual cleaning method through a standard explorer is suitable. Smartphones Samsung have an excellent application preinstalled My Files (My files), which allows you to get to the very depths of the device's memory.
Launch the application My files and go to the section Internal memory. The path to the messenger files may differ depending on the Android version. On new devices with Android 11 and higher, the files are located along the path Android → media → com.whatsapp → WhatsApp. On older versions, the folder WhatsApp lies in the root of the internal memory.
Inside the folder WhatsApp you are interested in the directory Media. This is where all pictures, videos and documents are stored. You can go to subfolders WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Video or WhatsApp Documents and delete the contents manually.
| Folder type | What it contains | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
WhatsApp Images |
All received and sent photos | Delete screenshots and memes, leave important photos |
WhatsApp Video |
Videos from chats and statuses | The heaviest folder, clean first |
WhatsApp Voice Notes |
Voice messages (audio) | Delete old recordings that have already been listened to |
WhatsApp Documents |
PDF, Word, APK and archives files | Check for important agreements before deleting |
When you delete files through the explorer, they disappear from the phone’s memory, but in the messenger itself in the chat there may be a dummy message with offer to download the file. This is normal and does not affect the operation of the application.
Where are statuses stored?
The status files that you viewed are hidden in the .Statuses folder inside the WhatsApp directory. To see them, turn on the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings (three dots → Settings → Show hidden system files).
Setting up automatic downloading of media files
The best way to deal with junk is to prevent it from appearing. By default WhatsApp it is configured to automatically download all media files via the mobile network and Wi-Fi, which quickly fills up the device's memory.
You can change this behavior in the settings of the application itself. Go to Settings → Data and storage. In the "Auto-download media" section, you will see three categories: "When using a mobile network", "When connected to Wi-Fi" and "When roaming".
Uncheck those file types that you do not need to download automatically. For example, you can leave auto-upload only for photos, and download videos and documents manually by clicking. This will significantly save space and traffic.
- 📵 For a mobile network, it is recommended to disable auto-downloading of videos completely, since they take up the most space.
- 📸 Photos can be left on auto-download if you often use the messenger for work or communicating with loved ones.
- 📄 Documents and it is better to download audio files manually so as not to store unnecessary mailings and advertising.
This setting does not affect already received files, but will prevent new content from being saved to your memory Samsung Galaxy without your knowledge. You can always download the file you need by simply clicking on it in the chat.
Deleting old backups
Messenger regularly creates local backups of your correspondence so that you can restore data in the event of a failure. However, by default, up to 7 recent copies can be stored in memory, each of which can weigh hundreds of megabytes.
Local copies are stored in a folder Databases inside the main application directory. To find them, use Explorer and follow the path Android → media → com.whatsapp → WhatsApp → Databases (or just WhatsApp/Databases on older versions).
You will see files with names like msgstore.db.crypt14 (the number may vary) and files with dates in the name. A file without a date in the name is the current active database and cannot be deleted. All other files with dates are old archives.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting files with dates will free up space, but you will not be able to restore correspondence for specific past days if you suddenly lose the current database. Leave at least one fresh copy.
Deleting old backups is an effective way to quickly free up a few gigabytes, especially if you have been actively using the messenger for a long time. The system will create a new copy tonight automatically.
☑️ Check before deleting copies
Cleaning the "Sent" folder and statuses
Many users forget that in the WhatsApp folder structure there are hidden or rarely visited directories that also clog up memory. In particular, the Sent (Sent) folder inside the image and video directories contains copies of all the files that you have ever sent to someone.
If you forwarded the same video to five different chats, then the device memory can store up to six copies of this file (one original and five in the sent folder). Periodically cleaning the folder WhatsApp Images/Sent i WhatsApp Video/Sent helps remove these duplicates.
It is also worth paying attention to the folder .Statuses. Although status files disappear after 24 hours, sometimes they can linger in memory due to system glitches. Emptying this hidden folder through Explorer (with show hidden files enabled) will give you back some free space.
Remember that emptying the Sent Items folder will not remove files from the chats themselves if you sent them there. It will only delete the technical copy created upon submission. However, if you deleted a message from a chat, a copy of it may remain here.
Use the "Free up space" feature in your Samsung phone settings (Settings → Device maintenance → Storage) to find and delete duplicate files throughout the system, not just WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will the conversation be deleted if I clear the WhatsApp cache?
No, clearing the cache deletes only temporary files necessary for the application to work quickly (thumbnails, temporary download data). All your messages, contacts and media files will remain completely safe.
How to restore space if I accidentally deleted important photos through Explorer?
If you deleted files through Explorer, they will not go to the messenger trash can. Try checking the trash can on your smartphone itself (Gallery or My Files app), if it is enabled. If the file is deleted from there, recovery is only possible using special data recovery apps or from a Google Photos backup if synchronization was enabled.
Why is the space not freed up after deleting the files?
The files may have been moved to the trash in the Gallery or My Files application. Go to these applications, find the "Trash" section and empty it completely. Also check cloud services such as Google Photos, which may have created a backup copy before deletion.
Is it possible to transfer WhatsApp to an SD memory card on Samsung?
On modern versions of Android (starting from version 10-11), transferring the application itself and its database to an SD memory card is not officially supported by WhatsApp developers and Samsung for reasons of security and stability. You can save media files to the card in the camera settings, but the messenger database will remain in the internal memory.
Is it safe to use third-party applications to clean WhatsApp?
Using third-party “cleaners” is not recommended. They often require excessive permissions and may contain advertising or malicious code. The built-in tools of Samsung and WhatsApp itself are quite enough to safely and effectively clean the device.