Want to know how you can fix WhatsApp if it’s not downloading media on your device?
WhatsApp is an instant messaging platform that lets users communicate with their friends, loved ones, customers, and colleagues. It supports voice calls, video chats, text messaging, and even file sharing.
With the file sharing feature, you can conveniently send photos, videos, and documents to other users.
Unfortunately, file sharing doesn’t come without issues.
One common problem that you may face with file sharing on WhatsApp is that media files won’t download on your device. This can be a problem if you want to save a photo of your loved one or need to check a report sent by a colleague.
Usually, this issue on the platform is caused by improper configurations on your device. WhatsApp may not have access to your storage, or it can’t use your network connection to download files.
However, this can also be due to server-related issues, slow network connections, and outdated software.
Today, we’ll show you what to do if WhatsApp is not downloading media on your device.
Let’s begin!
1. Check WhatsApp Servers.
One of the first things you should do when encountering download issues on WhatsApp is check the servers. Since WhatsApp is an online platform, it relies on its servers to deliver content and features.
Go to Downdetector to check the current situation of WhatsApp’s servers.
Unfortunately, the only thing you can do if the servers are down is wait for their team to resolve the problem.
On the other hand, you can proceed to the following solutions below to start troubleshooting the issue if there’s nothing wrong with the servers.
2. Restart Your Device.
Before trying out advanced measures, try starting with the basics first. If you can’t download media files on WhatsApp, restart your system to ensure that temporary bugs or errors are not causing the issue.
For Android users, you can restart your device by doing the following:
- Find the Power button on your Android device.
- After that, press it until the options screen shows up.
- Lastly, tap on Restart.
If you’re using an iOS device, here’s how you can restart it:
- On your home screen, tap on the Assistive Touch to access it.
- Next, go to the Device tab and tap on More.
- Finally, choose the Restart option.
Go back to WhatsApp afterward and try downloading your files.
3. Check Your Device Permission.
If WhatsApp is not downloading media files on your device, it may indicate that the app doesn’t have proper permissions to access your storage.
On Android devices, here’s how you can check your system permissions:
- First, locate WhatsApp in your app drawer.
- After that, press and hold its icon until the selection menu appears.
- Now, tap on App Info and go to the Permissions tab.
- Lastly, ensure that WhatsApp can access your device storage.
For iOS users, check out the steps below to manage your permissions:
- Go to the Settings on your device.
- Next, open the Privacy tab and tap on Photos.
- Lastly, tap on WhatsApp and choose All Photos.
Restart WhatsApp after changing your configurations and see if you can download media files.
4. Check Your Network Connection.
Slow network connections could also be the reason WhatsApp is not downloading media files on your device. To confirm this, run a test using Fast.com to measure your network’s current bandwidth.
If the test result suggests that your network is the problem, reboot your modem or router to re-establish the connection with your provider. Unplug your router from the outlet and wait for at least five seconds before reconnecting the power cable.
Once done, perform another test to check if the restart worked. If not, contact your service provider and ask them to address the issue.
5. Set Your Date & Time.
Improper device date and time settings could cause online applications and websites to malfunction. If you can’t use WhatsApp properly, ensure that your date and time are properly set.
For Android users, see the steps below to change your date and time settings:
- First, open the Settings app on your device.
- Next, go to the System tab and tap on Date & Time.
- Lastly, you can set the time manually or enable ‘Use Network-Provided Time’ and ‘Use Network-Provided Time Zone’.
If you’re using an iOS device, here’s what you need to do:
- On your home screen, tap on the Settings app to launch it.
- Next, go to General and access the Date & Time tab.
- Finally, enable ‘Set Automatically’.
Restart your device after changing your date and time settings and check if the issue on WhatsApp is solved.
6. Clear WhatsApp Cache (Android).
WhatsApp may have run into a temporary error while downloading a file and caused its app cache to corrupt. If this is the case, we suggest clearing WhatsApp cache on your Android device.
See the steps below to guide you through the process:
- Go to your app drawer and open the Settings app.
- After that, go to the Apps tab.
- Now, tap on WhatsApp and open the Storage tab.
- Lastly, hit the Clear Cache button.
Restart WhatsApp afterward and see if you can download media files.
7. Update WhatsApp.
WhatsApp releases frequent updates on its app to ensure that it’s optimized and bugs are being patched. If you can’t download files from WhatsApp, try updating the app to see if the problem goes away.
On Android devices, here’s how you can update WhatsApp:
- First, open the Play Store on your device.
- Next, access your Profile and tap on Manage Apps & Device.
- Go to the Updates Available tab and look for WhatsApp.
- Lastly, hit the Update button next to the app.
For iOS users, see the steps below to update WhatsApp:
- On your home screen, tap on the App Store to launch it.
- After that, go to your Profile.
- Finally, look for WhatsApp and hit the Update button.
Once done, go back to WhatsApp to check if the problem is solved.
8. Reset Your Network Settings.
Improper network configurations could also cause download issues not only on WhatsApp but your entire system. If you can’t download files on your device, try resetting your network settings to ensure that everything’s in order.
On Android devices, here’s how you can reset network settings:
- First, open the Settings app on your device.
- After that, go to System,
- Now, tap on Advanced and access the Reset Options tab.
- Lastly, choose Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile, & Bluetooth. Follow the prompts to continue with the process.
For iOS users, follow these steps to reset your network settings:
- On your home screen, tap on the Settings app to launch it.
- Next, go to General and open the Reset tab.
- Finally, tap on Reset Network Settings and follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
Go back to WhatsApp afterward and try downloading your files.
9. Reinstall WhatsApp.
At this point, we suggest reinstalling WhatsApp if you still can’t download media files on your device. There might be broken or missing files on your system, which causes WhatsApp to malfunction.
Here’s how you can remove WhatsApp on your device:
- Go to your home screen and locate WhatsApp.
- After that, hold down its icon until the selection menu appears.
- Finally, tap on Remove App (iOS) or Uninstall (Android) to delete WhatsApp.
Launch the Play Store or App Store on your device afterward and reinstall the app from there.
That sums up our guide for fixing WhatsApp if it’s not downloading media files. If you have questions, please leave a comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them.
If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂
