How to delete WhatsApp images and forwards from your phone

How to bulk-delete WhatsApp media

1. Open Manage storage. In WhatsApp, tap ⋮ > Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage.
2. Clear forwards. Tap Forwarded many times. Tap Select all, check the list, then tap the bin icon. You can choose to delete starred items too or keep them.
3. Clear large files. Tap Larger than 5 MB, sort by size, select and delete.
4. Clean the biggest chats. Below, chats are sorted by size. Open the biggest groups and delete media in bulk.
5. Stop auto-download. Go to Settings > Storage and data > Media auto-download and set Photos, Audio, Videos and Documents to No media for mobile data and Wi-Fi.
6. Stop backing up WhatsApp to Google Photos (optional). In Google Photos, Photos settings > Backup > Back up device folders, turn off WhatsApp Images.

Does turning off Media visibility save space?

No. Media visibility only controls whether WhatsApp images show in your phone's gallery. The files are still downloaded and still use storage. To save space, turn off Media auto-download. To change visibility: Settings > Chats > Media visibility, or per chat: open the chat, tap its name, Media visibility > No.

What does Forwarded many times miss?

WhatsApp marks a message as forwarded many times when it has passed through a chain of five or more chats. A greeting card your aunt made and shared once, or a meme forwarded only twice, is not included. Neither are images already saved to your gallery outside WhatsApp's view.

GalleryJury looks at what the image is, not how it was forwarded, so it finds greetings, quotes and memes whatever their history, while keeping real photos people sent you. See WhatsApp cleanup.

Will deleting WhatsApp images delete my chats?

No. Messages stay. The deleted image appears as unavailable inside the chat. If the sender still has it, they can resend it.