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Why should you stop automatic download in WhatsApp? WhatsApp is a great communications tool. Unfortunately, it can also be a huge drain on your data plan (if you are not on an unlimited plan), not to mention clogging up your cell phone’s media with photos and videos that are of no further use to you after you have watched them.
Because the app is configured to download and save files sent to you by default, you have to take action to stop automatic download in WhatsApp. The good news is that it isn’t difficult to do.
- How to Stop Media from Automatically Downloading on WhatsApp
- How to Manually Save a Photo on WhatsApp
- How to Manually Save a Video on WhatsApp
- How to Delete WhatsApp Photos and Videos from your Phone
How to Stop Media from Automatically Downloading on WhatsApp
Open your WhatsApp, tap the three vertical dots at the top right corner, tap on Settings > Storage and data > under Media auto-download , select the following options:
When using mobile data: uncheck all the options and tap OK .
When connected on Wi-Fi: uncheck all the options and tap OK .
When roaming: uncheck all the options and tap OK .
You are done. When you look at the Media auto-dowmload section now, each of these have “No media” labelled under them. That’s it. You are done. WhatsApp will no longer automatically download videos, photos, and documents, thus helping to keep your data consumption at a much lower rate. Your phone’s storage won’t get clogged up so fast either.
How to Manually Save a Photo on WhatsApp
When you receive a photo that you would like to save, you have to tap on the photo to open it, then tap the three vertical dots at the top right corner, and select Save . That photo or image now gets saved to your phone’s storage and you can access it through your phone’s gallery or media player.
How to Manually Save a Video on WhatsApp
When someone sends you a video that you want to save to your phone, open the video, tap the three vertical dots at the top right corner, and select Save . That video now gets saved to your phone’s storage and you can access it from your phones’s gallery or media viewer.
How to Delete WhatsApp Photos and Videos from your Phone
If you already had whatsapp photos and videos downloaded to your phone, you can delete them.
Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage. You will see the size of your storage that WhatsApp media has used up. Below that is a section that lets you review and delete items . Even below that is another section that displays items larger than 5 MB . Tap on each of them, tap on the “Select all” checkbox and then the bin icon at the top right corner.
A prompt asks you to confirm if you want to delete items. Check the Delete any copies box and then tap Delete . All those files disappear.
Your storage is now free of WhatsApp junk and won’t be automatically re-populated with more because you have earlier changed the settings to stop automatic media download on the app.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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When dad called me to say that he needed to find a way to stop his Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps, I was surprised. He had found some unknown apps that he did not install on his Samsung phone, and worse, those apps were annoying the heck out of him with pesky notifications.
I was not expecting this sneaky behaviour from Samsung. Wasn’t this something that was spoken of only small-time or unknown brands? Why is a big player like Samsung dabbling into this? Unfortunately, the practice seems to be spreading, as more and more people are looking for a way to stop their Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps without their consent.
- How does it happen?
- What to do to stop your Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps Modify Galaxy Store Settings Disable App Cloud
How does it happen?
Apparently, the culprit is Samsung’s own app store, the Galaxy Store. It is setup by the company to be able to install apps on your device without your permission. That was what happened with dad’s Samsung phone. The problem is more common on budget and mid-range devices than on premium flagship devices, but even the latter are not entirely soared, if some reports are to be believed.
I have been using a Samsung Galaxy S23 and have not noticed this behaviour on my device yet, though. Should I, I will update this article. But if you are dealing with this issue, let me walk you through how you can put a stop to it on your phone.
What to do to stop your Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps
Since we have identified the Galaxy Store as the main culprit, that is where we must look to fix this problem.
Modify Galaxy Store Settings
The first thing you can do to stop your Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps is to change the settings that allow the Galaxy Store to perform these silent downloads and installations. remove its app permissions. To do so, go to Settings > Apps > Galaxy Store > Mobile Data > Allow background data usage : toggle it off.
Go back one step, select Change system settings > Allow permission . Toggle it off.
Go back one step again. Select Install unknown apps > Allow from this source . Toggle it off.
That should do it. The Galaxy Store has now been stripped of all ability to act in the background to download and install apps without your consent.
Disable App Cloud
Some Samsung phone users are reporting that by disabling a pre-installed app called App Cloud, they were able to stop their Samsung phone from automatically downloading apps behind their back.
I have looked through my S23 here and didn’t find App Cloud anywhere. Perhaps it isn’t installed on all Samsung phones, which may also explain why I have not been experiencing sneaky app downloads on this device. So, check on yours and if you find it, disable it.
Go to Settings > Apps > search for “app cloud” > if it is there, tap on it > then disable it. I have read multiple reports saying doing this stopped automatic app downloads on Samsung phones.
Do let me know how it goes. And should you have more useful information to help others get rid of automatic app downloads, do share with me in the comment section below.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
