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WhatsApp automatically saves all of the photos you send and receive to your Android by default. If you've turned this feature off to save space on your phone or tablet, you're probably wondering how you can download photos manually. Saving pictures from WhatsApp manually is straightforward on most Androids, but a bit more involved on some models. Don't worry—it's possible! This wikiHow article will teach you how to save images from WhatsApp messages to your Android's photo gallery, both manually and automatically.
How to Save WhatsApp Photos
WhatsApp downloads images automatically by default when “Media Visibility” is on. When it is off, you can save pictures manually. To do so, tap the image you want to download, tap the three dots ( â‹® ) in the upper-right corner, then tap Save .
Steps
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Tap the chat containing the photo you want to download. This opens the conversation.
- Depending on your Android, you may not have seen an option to save a photo from WhatsApp to your Android. It's still possible—you'll just need to use your file manager app (like Samsung's My Files or Files by Google) or send it to yourself via email.
- If you don't have a file manager app, you can download Files by Google from the Play Store .
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Tap the photo you want to download. This displays the photo in full-screen mode.
- If you have your settings set to not download media when connected to certain networks (i.e., mobile data or roaming), the photo will appear as a blurry preview in the chat. You will need to tap the download icon in the middle of the photo to download the photo and view it. This will download it to your Gallery if you have Media Visibility enabled.
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Tap the icon with three dots â‹® . It’s in the upper-right corner of the screen. This displays the menu.
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4Tap Save . This saves the photo to your Gallery. If you have already downloaded the photo, this will download a copy.
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Save with your file manager if you couldn't save the photo. If you didn't have the option to save the photo in the last step, try using your file manager:
- Tap the photo to view it.
- Tap the icon with three dots ( â‹® ) in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Share .
- Scroll to the right and tap More to view all apps.
- Tap your file manager app, such as My Files or Files by Google .
- Tap the Downloads folder to find your downloaded images.
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Email the photo to yourself if you still can't save it. If the previous steps did not work for you, this one definitely will. It's easy, but takes a little longer:
- Tap the photo to view it.
- Tap the icon with three dots ( â‹® ) in the upper-right corner.
- Tap Share .
- Tap Gmail or your preferred email app. This creates a new message with your photo attached.
- Type your own email address into the To: field and send the message.
- When the message arrives (it should be immediate), tap it, and then tap the attachment to open the photo.
- Tap the three vertical dots at the top-right and select Save . The photo is now in your gallery.
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Open WhatsApp. It's the green-and-white chat bubble icon in your app list.
- If WhatsApp is already open and you're looking at a chat, tap the back button to return to the Chats list.
- WhatsApp automatically downloads all images, voice messages, and other media from your chats by default, but you can change how and when this happens . [1] X Research source
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Tap the three dots â‹® . You'll see this at the top-right corner.
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3Tap Settings . It’s at the bottom of the menu.
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4Tap Chats . This opens the Chat Settings menu.
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5Tap the toggle switch next to "Media Visibility". This option toggles automatic downloads of photos and other media on and off. When the switch is on, photos and media will download automatically. When it is turned off, photos and media will only be visible in the chats–if you want to save them to your gallery, you'll need to do it manually.
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Tap the three dots â‹® . You'll see this at the top-right corner of WhatsApp. If you don’t want to download WhatsApp pictures when connected to certain networks (i.e., mobile data or roaming), you can select when WhatsApp photos download automatically.
- If WhatsApp is already open and you're looking at a chat, tap the back button to return to the Chats list.
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2Tap Settings . It’s at the bottom of the menu.
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Tap Storage and data . It's near the middle of the menu.
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4Select one of the automatic download conditions. You may not want to save pictures automatically depending on your data services. Luckily, WhatsApp lets you pick which condition it will automatically download. Tap one of the following options: [2] X Research source
- When using mobile data: This option allows you to select what media you want to download automatically when you are connected to mobile data, such as 5G or 4G LTE.
- When connected on Wi-Fi: This option allows you to select what media you want to download automatically when you are connected to a wireless network.
- When Roaming: This option allows you to select what type of media you want to download automatically when you are outside of your network coverage. This is usually the data that costs the most.
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5Select which media you want to download automatically. Tap the checkbox next to the type of media you want to download automatically. You can select Photos, Audio, Videos, or Documents. Check Photos to download photos automatically.
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6Tap OK . It’s in the lower-right corner. This saves your preferences. This will allow photos to download automatically in the chats.
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About This Article
1. To download a photo manually, tap the photo, tap the three dots at the top-right corner, and then tap View in gallery
. Tap the three horizontal dots at the bottom and select Save
.
2. If that doesn't work, tap the photo, and then tap the sharing icon at the top. Select your file manager app and save the photo to Images
or Photos
.
3. If that also doesn't work, tap the photo, tap the sharing icon, and then select Gmail
. Enter your own email address and send the message. Tap the message when it arrives, tap the photo attachment, tap the three dots at the top-right, and then tap Save
.
