How to fix WhatsApp not loading photos and videos error

Here's how you can resolve the issue and get WhatsApp to download media as expected.

1. Check your Internet connection

When you have problems with an app like WhatsApp, the first thing to check is whether the mobile data connection or Wi-Fi is working properly. You can do this using other applications on your phone that require Internet access.

If other apps have similar connection problems, try turning on airplane mode on your phone and then turning it off to refresh the network connection. If that doesn't work, check out our guide on how to fix Wi-Fi connection on Android. If you're using mobile data, try speeding up your mobile data connection.

2. Force close and reopen WhatsApp

Sometimes, WhatsApp can get stuck while downloading images and media files. Forcing an app to close and reopen is an effective way to fix some temporary issues.

If you're using Android, open Settings and go to Apps > Manage apps . Then, select WhatsApp from the list of installed applications. Finally, tap the Force Stop option at the bottom and tap OK to confirm.

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If you have an iPhone, just swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause halfway to open recent apps. Then, swipe up on the WhatsApp preview to close the app.

Reopen WhatsApp and check if you can download the media file. If the problem persists, you can also try restarting your Android or iPhone to fix any temporary operating system-related glitches.

3. Check your phone's memory status

WhatsApp may have trouble saving media files if your phone doesn't have enough storage space. You need to check your phone's storage status to make sure it's not full.

For Android, go to Settings > Device care > Storage (this will vary by device) or search for "storage" in the search bar inside the Settings app.

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If you use an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to check the used and remaining storage space.

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If your storage is full or nearly full, take the necessary steps to free up space on your Android or iPhone.

4. Enable storage permissions for WhatsApp

Another reason WhatsApp fails to download media files is because it doesn't have access to the phone's memory. To avoid this, you need to grant WhatsApp the necessary storage permissions.

To give WhatsApp access to storage on Android, open Settings and go to Apps > Manage apps > WhatsApp > App permissions . Then, select Storage > Allow from the following menu.

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On iPhone, launch the Settings app and select Privacy & Security . Next, select Photos > WhatsApp from the list of applications. Select the Full Access or Limited Access option in this menu.

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5. Check if WhatsApp is down

You may not be the only one having problems with WhatsApp. The problem may lie with WhatsApp's servers. If the company's servers are down, some app features may not function properly.

You can visit a website like DownDetector or Outage.Report to check for possible issues with WhatsApp servers. Additionally, you can use WhatsApp Web on PC to quickly check if the problem you are experiencing is device or server related.

6. Update WhatsApp to the current version

Running an outdated version of WhatsApp can also cause certain features, like photo and video downloads, to fail. If the problem is caused by a bug, updating the app will most likely resolve it. Use the following links to update WhatsApp on your phone and see if it helps.

7. Turn on "Save to Camera Roll" (for iPhone)

If you notice that photos and videos you receive via WhatsApp are no longer automatically saved to your iPhone, make sure the Save to Camera Roll option is turned on.

Launch WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats and enable the Save to Camera Roll option .

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You can also configure WhatsApp to automatically save media files from individual or group messages. Just open chat and go to the contact/group information page. Select Save to Camera Roll > Always from the options.

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8. Check the date and time on your phone

Having incorrect date or time settings on your phone may not seem like a big deal, but this can prevent WhatsApp from contacting the server and downloading media files. To avoid this problem, it's best to configure your phone to automatically set the date and time.

On Android, go to Settings > General management > Date and time and turn on the Automatic date and time option .

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If you have an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Date & Time and turn on the Set Automatically option .

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9. Reset network settings

Problems with your device's network settings can also lead to problems with WhatsApp. If that's the case, resetting all network settings will help.

Note : Resetting your device's network settings will delete all previously saved Wi-Fi networks and mobile data configurations.

10. Reinstall WhatsApp

If all else fails, your best option is to uninstall WhatsApp from your phone and then reinstall it. Before continuing, make sure you have backed up all your WhatsApp messages so you don't lose any chats or files.

One of the tips listed above will help WhatsApp download images and media files as usual. Remember that WhatsApp can take up significant storage space over time, so you may need to delete media files to free up space.

Micah Soto

Update 14 August 2024