WhatsApp not downloading media and documents? 13 ways to fix

We are confident at least one of these recommendations will solve the issue on your Android device or iOS device.

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Note: This guide could contain different steps or instructions depending on the model of your device and its operating system.

1. Troubleshooting Your Internet Connection

WhatsApp uses strong internet connectivity to allow users to upload and receive media files. It is possible to download and send media files or documents via WhatsApp Network connection slow, or very slow This could slow down the entire process. If you are using mobile or cellular data, switch to Wi-Fi. Restart the router if the problem continues with a Wi Fi connection. Move your device closer to get better signal strength.

You can put your phone in or out airplane mode You can also reset your phone’s network settings and refresh the internet to fix any connectivity problems. As a last resort, contact your network provider to reset the network settings of your phone.

Reset Network Settings on Android

Go to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth, Reset Settings. . For more information, please enter the password, code, or PIN for your mobile phone.

Reset Network Settings on iPhone

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings You will need to enter the passcode for your iPhone.

2. You can check the Status of WhatsApp Server

WhatsApp may experience different issues when instant messaging servers are down or out of service. WhatsApp might not be able to send and receive messages or media files while the rest of its features function normally. Other functionalities, such as WhatsApp Status, may not work properly but messaging can still function.

You can check whether the servers of your messaging app are operating if you have internet connectivity that is functioning properly but WhatsApp doesn’t download media. Site-monitoring services that are trusted like DownDetector and IsItDownRightNow Provide reliable status reports on server.

WhatsApp is the only way to resolve problems with servers that are not accessible or if other WhatsApp users experience similar issues downloading files. Get in touch WhatsApp Messenger Support for them to take note of the problem and then wait for the servers to be back online.

3. WhatsApp can be forced to reopen after it is stopped

Forcing the app to close may be the best solution if the app becomes unresponsive, or if certain features stop working correctly.

Force Stop WhatsApp on Android

Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info (or See All Apps) > WhatsApp > Force Stop And tap OK.

Alternativ, you can also use long-press WhatsApp icon Tap on the screen that displays your app launcher and homescreen App info, Force Stop.

Force Stop WhatsApp on iPhones

iPhones with no Home button can swipe left from the bottom of their screen to launch the App Switcher. Close the app by tapping on WhatsApp’s preview.

You can access the Home button on your iPhone, double-click the Home button, To close the WhatsApp, swipe down on WhatsAp.

After that, you can launch WhatsApp and start a conversation. You will be able to download any images or documents which were not downloaded earlier.

4. To save to your camera roll, turn on “Save to Camera Roll”

WhatsApp for iOS is not like Android. It doesn’t save any downloaded media files automatically to your storage. WhatsApp for iOS saves documents and media files as WhatsApp data. You can change the WhatsApp chat settings to have media files automatically saved to your gallery.

Select WhatsApp to Launch Settings, Chats, Save to Camera Roll.

This option can increase WhatsApp’s storage capacity. There are however other important ways you can increase your storage space You can reduce the WhatsApp size for your iPhone .

5. Get permission to store WhatsApp messages

WhatsApp will not save or download media files to your phone’s gallery or storage if you don’t grant it storage permission. In the settings menu, open the WhatsApp information page and give the app storage access.

Grant WhatsApp Storage Permission on Android

Open WhatsApp’s App Info Page, and select Permissions, Allow.

Grant WhatsApp Gallery Permission on Android

When you save media files, does WhatsApp show a message saying “WhatsApp doesn’t have access to your videos or photos”? This means that the app does not have access to your photos gallery.

This error can be stopped by going to Settings > WhatsApp > Photos Choose and All Photos.

WhatsApp will now have access to your iPhone’s media library. Close the WhatsApp chat and open the WhatsApp photo/video download link.

6. Storage space can be freed up

WhatsApp may not be downloading documents or media if it has insufficient storage. You should check the storage space on your phone to ensure that you have enough room to store the file you wish to download.

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage To check the amount of storage available on your iPhone.

You can either delete or transfer unused apps from your iPhone if it is almost full These are the seven apps You can free up storage spac.

On Android devices, go to Settings > Storage (or Settings > About phone > StorageTo check the storage status of your phone, tap ( If your phone uses stock Android, tap Free Up Space To free up space, you can use the file manager’s cleaning tool.

It will remove duplicate files, older screenshots, blurry photographs, and any other files that occupy internal storage space. Transferring files from an SD card to another This is another great method to make space free without having to delete anything.

7. Request the other person to send you a resend request

If someone sends files, photos or videos to WhatsApp, they have 30 days for you to download it. WhatsApp can delete the file from its servers after 30 days if you do not download it.

This message will be displayed by WhatsApp if you attempt to download the file within 30 days: “Sorry, this media file appears to be missing. Please ask [Sender Name or Phone number] to resend it.”

This message may be received by you. Ask the sender for the document, picture or video to be resent.

8. Check the time and date on your smartphone

An incorrect date and/or time setting will stop your phone connecting to WhatsApp servers. Check that your date and the time settings are correct. If you do not confirm, it may be difficult to send and download media files or documents through WhatsApp.

You can close WhatsApp, change your data and the time settings on your phone and then retry downloading.

Update Date and Time Settings on Android

1. Go to Settings, System, Date & time.
2. Enable both Use network-provide time and Use network-provided time zone.

Update Date and Time Settings on iOS

Open the Settings apps, tap General, Date & Time, Set Automatically.

9. Clear Your WhatsApp Cookies

WhatsApp and other Android apps save Files that are temporary or in the cache For quick access to recent-used information, you can save your favorite apps on your smartphone. When you are using stickers and emoticons, they will be displayed in the most recently used section. WhatsApp keeps this data in temporary files.

Although cache files are beneficial, they can cause problems with performance. After closing WhatsApp, if WhatsApp still isn’t downloading media files after you force close it, delete its cache data and try again.

Note: Clearing WhatsApp cache will not delete chats, chat history files or other data.

To clear your WhatsApp cache, close it and then follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info (or See All Apps() and choose WhatsApp.
2. Select Storage & cache.
3. Tap the Clear Cache icon.

Check if WhatsApp is now open and able to download documents, images and videos.

10. Your Phone Can Be Restarted

System glitches that cause WhatsApp to stop working may be fixed by rebooting the device’s operating systems. To avoid losing data and saved changes, close any applications you are using before restarting the phone.

11. Check out WhatsApp Update

Your phone’s WhatsApp version could have bugs that caused the problem. You can update WhatsApp to the latest version by going to WhatsApp’s page in the App Store. For quick access, tap these links: WhatsApp Android (Google Playstore) | WhatsApp App for iOS (App Store).

12. Make sure to update your device

If WhatsApp doesn’t seem to be downloading media files from your device or any other application has similar problems, it is time for you to update the operating system.

Your iPhone can be connected to Wi-Fi networks and plugged into a power supply. Next, visit Settings > General > Software Update And tap Download and Install You can download the updated version from the page.

To update Android, go to Settings > System > Advanced > System Update And tap Check for updates.

The steps to update your Android device might differ from those described above. For specific instructions, refer to the instruction manual of your Android device or contact its manufacturer.

13. Install WhatsApp

If the problem continues after you have tried everything, please remove WhatsApp from your phone and install the app again. Keep this in mind Back up your WhatsApp data Be sure to delete this app before you do.

On Android, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info (or See All Apps) > WhatsApp > Uninstall. OK.

Tap and Hold the WhatsApp icon on an iPhone Delete App, Delete.

Restart your smartphone, then reinstall WhatsApp using the app store Set up WhatsApp right from scratch .