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During normal use, WhatsApp Media Not Downloading. This can sometimes slow down. WhatsApp says download failed for a number of different reasons. Before you can fix the problem, you have to figure out why the download in WhatsApp failed in the first place. But another problem with WhatsApp app is that the download didn’t finish.
This happens often when you try to send or receive photos, videos, or voice messages. And this bug, which seems small, can ruin the whole experience for the user. People who use WhatsApp don’t want to get the message “The download was unable to finish. If you got a “Please try again later” message, you need to fix it right away. In this way, you can fix the problem and be able to use WhatsApp again. If you can Download this app, than you can visit Google play Store.
Fix: WhatsApp Media Not Downloading on iPhone

Check Photo Privacy settings
Sometimes, even when you have Save to Camera Roll enabled, WhatsApp will not save pictures and clips to Photos. That’s often because you have prevented WhatsApp from accessing it. This might happen accidentally if you tap Don’t Allow on the popup that shows up asking for permission to let WhatsApp access Photos.
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap Privacy.
- Tap Photos.
- Tap WhatsApp.
- Select All Photos.
Reinstall WhatsApp
If all of the above methods have failed so far, try deleting WhatsApp completely and reinstalling. You can make a backup from within WhatsApp’s Settings → Chats → Chat Backup. Then, reinstall the app, and in the process, when your iPhone asks if you should let WhatsApp access Photos app, tap Allow Access to All Photos.
Enable Save Incoming Media
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Tap Settings at the bottom right.
- Tap Chats → Enable the switch labeled Save to Camera Roll if it’s turned off.
Enable storage permission on your device
- Open Settings.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Select Photos.
- Choose WhatsApp.
- Now, choose All Photos.
Enable save to camera roll
- Open WhatsApp on iPhone.
- Tap Settings.
- Select Chats.
- Toggle on Save to Camera Roll
Reset your network settings
- Open Settings → tap General.
- Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Choose Reset → tap Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your Passcode.
- Tap Reset Network Settings to confirm your choice.
Fix: WhatsApp Media Not Downloading on Android
Check WhatsApp Storage Permission
WhatsApp might not be able to download media on your Android or iPhone because it doesn’t have access to your phone’s storage. When this happens, WhatsApp usually shows a message that says it can’t access your Android storage or photos (iPhone). So, you must give it access to Photos and give it permission to store media in order for it to download media.
- Open Settings.
- Go to Apps and select WhatsApp from the app list.
- Click on Permissions > Files and media and select Allow access to media only.
Check Your Device Storage for Available Space
One of the most common reasons why downloads don’t work on smartphones is that they don’t have enough storage space. So, if WhatsApp isn’t downloading images or media to your device, check your device’s storage space to see if your phone or memory card has any free space. If you’re using an Android or iPhone with the base storage and have WhatsApp set to automatically download media, this is probably the problem.
- Launch Settings.
- Click on Storage.
Clear WhatsApp Cache
As you use WhatsApp, your Android phone builds up a WhatsApp cache, which it can use to quickly open the app and access some of its other features. The app’s cache is made up of temporary files, so you can delete it without changing how it works to get it back to its original state (and free up storage space).
- Launch Settings and go to Apps.
- Select WhatsApp from the app list and click on Storage & cache.
- Tap Clear cache.
Reset Network Settings
If you can’t download WhatsApp media on a certain network or if the problem goes away or comes back when you switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi, it could be because of a network glitch or a problem with how your device connects to the network.
- Launch Settings.
- Click on System and select Reset options from the list.
- Tap on Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.
FAQ
Why is my WhatsApp images not downloading in iPhone
If WhatsApp isn’t downloading media files, this is another important storage-related check you should make (or any other app, really). When you try to save media files, you’ll get an error message if WhatsApp can’t access your phone’s storage or photos.
Why is WhatsApp not downloading media
If the problem keeps coming back, your SD card might be broken. To make sure, make sure your SD card has: Enough free space. If your SD card has enough space, but you still can’t download files from WhatsApp, you may need to delete WhatsApp data from your SD card.
How can I solve WhatsApp download problem
Delete data and apps you no longer use.
Move your files and apps to the SD card.
Open your phone’s Settings, then go to Apps & Notifications, then WhatsApp, and then Storage & cache. Empty the cache > Easy to store.
How do I enable download on WhatsApp
To configure automatic photo, video or audio downloading, simply go to WhatsApp > tap More options > Settings > Storage and data > Media auto-download. Here you can choose when WhatsApp will automatically download media.
How do I turn on media and files on WhatsApp
Turn on Android’s Media visibility in general. On your Android tablet or phone, go to Settings > Chats and make sure that Media visibility is turned on. This will make sure that pictures from WhatsApp conversations are copied to your Gallery in the file explorer.