WhatsApp to let users manage storage from individual chats

Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow users to manage storage directly from individual chats, aiming to make it easier to control data usage on devices with limited space.

According to WABetaInfo, the update is being tested in WhatsApp’s Android beta and iPhone TestFlight versions. The new option introduces a “Manage Storage” tab within each chat’s contact or group information screen, enabling users to review and delete media files without navigating through the app’s main settings.

Currently, WhatsApp provides a general storage management tool that displays overall data consumption and large files across all chats. However, users often have to scroll through multiple sections to identify storage-heavy conversations. The new feature is expected to simplify this process by allowing targeted management for specific chats.

With more than three billion active users globally, WhatsApp is widely used for sharing photos, videos, and documents — often leading to storage constraints, especially on older Android phones and iPhones with limited memory. Group chats are typically among the biggest contributors to this problem.

The per-chat storage management tool is designed to address this issue by showing detailed data usage, including the space taken up by photos, videos, voice notes, and documents. Users will be able to remove unnecessary media files while keeping their chat history intact.

The feature remains in the testing phase, and Meta has not yet announced an official rollout date. However, its inclusion in both Android and iOS beta versions suggests that a stable release may follow in the coming months.