How To Save WhatsApp Photos On Android In Two Ways Plus Troubleshooting

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There are two main ways to save WhatsApp photos on your phone. One is by manually downloading and saving the photos, either by using the download button or by doing Gmail backups. The second is by using a third-party app, like MobileTrans, that makes the process much easier.

WhatsApp is a handy tool that lets you communicate instantly with people around the world. It has several powerful features, one of which is the ability to freely send text and media files, like documents, videos, and photos.

Because we use WhatsApp for practically every aspect of our lives, it’s a must to know how to download WhatsApp photos because there might be important pictures, video clips, or even GIFs that we need to view later or keep a back up of.

In this article, I’ll teach you how to save WhatsApp photos on Android using two main methods, plus how to troubleshoot common issues!

How To Save WhatsApp Photos: Step-By-Step Instructions

Let’s go over the two main ways to save images from WhatsApp on an Android device. You can use these methods to view or create a backup of all WhatsApp photos that you send or receive.

By Manually Downloading

The easiest and most accessible way to save images from WhatsApp on Android is the manual method. However, this isn’t the most convenient in the long run.

There are two kinds of ways to do manual downloads in WhatsApp: via standard transfer or Gmail backup.

Via Standard Transfer

This is the default feature that is available for all WhatsApp users, without having to tweak any of its settings.

To save images on Whatsapp via the standard method, follow the steps below:

  1. Launch WhatsApp on your Android phone.
  2. Select the conversation thread that contains the WhatsApp media or image you want to download.
    WhatsApp Chats On Android Phone
  3. Select the image you want to save.
    Attached Photos in WhatsApp Conversation Thread
  4. Click on the hamburger icon at the upper right.
    Photo Attachment In WhatsApp and Highlighted Hamburger Icon
  5. A dropdown menu will show. Select View in Gallery.
    Dropdown Menu Options in WhatsApp Photo Attachment
  6. Next, tap the three-dot button on the lower right corner.
    WhatsApp Photo Attachment As Seen Via Android Gallery
  7. Click Save. This will save your image to the camera roll or to a specific album in your phone’s gallery.
    WhatsApp Photo Attachment As Seen Via Android Gallery And Save Option Highlighted

Photos that you have saved with this method will end up in your gallery. WhatsApp automatically creates and designates a folder in your Android phone’s internal storage as a place to store downloaded photos and media files. To access this, follow these instructions:

  1. Go to your phone’s gallery.
  2. Tap Albums. This will sort the images in your phone to roughly their respective storage places.
  3. Look for the album WhatsApp Images, or WhatsApp media. There, you can find the photos that you downloaded.
    Photo Gallery on Android with WhatsApp Images Folder Highlighted
  4. Sometimes, the album will not appear in your phone’s main album gallery. When this happens, check if there’s a folder entitled Others and see if it’s there.
  5. Lastly, you can also go to your file manager and look for WhatsApp.
    WhatsApp Search in Android File Manager

Via Google Backups

You can also allow WhatsApp to save images via your Google account. With this setting enabled, WhatsApp can do periodic backups that will be stored in your Google account.

The advantage of this feature is that you can create a backup of your WhatsApp data, including images and media files, without having to save them one by one. You can view the contents of those uploads later, download them to your PC, and even restore the data to another device.

To take advantage of this feature, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the Settings menu on WhatsApp. This is the hamburger icon typically located on the top right corner of the WhatsApp interface.
    WhatsApp Chats On Android Phone
  2. From the menu, go to Chats.
    WhatsApp Dropdown Menu with Settings Option Highlighted
  3. From there, go to Chat Backup.
    WhatsApp Settings with Chats Option Highlighted
  4. Simply click Chat Backup and it will back up your messages to your Google account.
    WhatsApp Chats Settings with Chat Backup Option Highlighted

Unfortunately, the data stored in your Google Account can’t be automatically viewed just by clicking it. You first have to restore the data to a freshly installed WhatsApp for it to be fully functional.

By Using MobileTrans

MobileTrans is a phone management app that can perform a wide variety of powerful functions. One of these is the ability to save all image and media files on your WhatsApp to a destination with just one click.

You can save the files to your computer and then restore them to either the same phone or a different phone. You can even restore them to an iPhone, if you wish. 

Get MobileTrans now!

In addition to this, MobileTrans also allows you to back up your entire WhatsApp data, not just your media files. You can also make backups of other instant messaging apps, such as LINE, WeChat, Kik, and Viber.

Take note, this is a paid app with a free version. However, the free app has limited functionality and doesn’t have the features that we need here, so you need to get a subscription first before you can proceed. 

I already made an in-depth review of MobileTrans previously, so feel free to check it out if you want to know more.

With that out of the way, here are the steps to using MobileTrans to save WhatsApp photos on Android!

  1. Launch MobileTrans on your desktop or laptop computer.
  2. From the interface, select Whatsapp Transfer.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Dashboard
  3. Pick Backup WhatsApp messages.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App WhatsApp Messages Backup Selected
  4. Connect your Android to your computer using a USB cable.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App  Connection Panel
  5. Your device should be automatically detected by MobileTrans. Make sure that your device stays securely connected to the computer.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Connecting Android Phone
  6. Click Start. MobileTrans will then back up the data from your Whatsapp to your computer.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Android Phone Connected Star Button Highlighted
  7. Wait for the app to finish the backup process successfully.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Backing Up Data Panel
  8. And you’re done. You can now disconnect your phone from your computer.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Backing Up Data Completed
  9. The data will stay on the app. You can view these files or restore them to another device later.
    Wondershare Mobile Trans App Stored Backed Up Files Window

Get MobileTrans now!

Why Can’t I Save Pictures From Whatsapp?

There may be times when you really need or want to save a picture from WhatsApp, but for some reason, you’re unable to do so

But don’t worry! In this section, I’ll go through the potential reasons for this problem one by one, as well as suggest some easy fixes you can try out.

Your Internet Connection Isn’t Strong Enough

It might be a no-brainer, but we all have those moments where we’ve tried a variety of different fixes and the answer turned out to be something simple all along. A strong internet connection is important if you want to download anything from the web.

So one of the very first potential reasons that you might want to look into as to why you can’t save a picture from WhatsApp is whether or not your internet connection is strong enough to download the photo, or if you’re even connected in the first place.

Eliminating this early on can save you headaches later. If you can’t download a photo from WhatsApp, try loading a webpage on your phone browser to be sure. If it doesn’t load, then the problem is likely your internet connection.

You May Have To Reinstall WhatsApp

There are times when WhatsApp itself has an issue that can be solved with a simple reinstall

If you’re sure that you’re connected to the internet but you still can’t save WhatsApp photos, try uninstalling your WhatsApp completely and then reinstalling it from the Play Store

Of course, don’t forget to back up your WhatsApp data first before you do so in order to not lose anything important.

Also, take note that uninstalling, reinstalling, and setting up your WhatsApp profile too many times within a short time frame can get you temporarily banned. If you want to use this method, make sure to wait at least an hour or two between tries.

There Might Be An Issue With Your Phone’s Settings

Sometimes, when there’s an issue with your phone’s settings, particularly the date and time, you won’t be able to do all the functions of WhatsApp.

WhatsApp servers won’t connect with a phone that has set to a different date and time from its time zone, which means you can’t download your images.

To fix this, go to your Settings, look for Date and Time, and from there you can set the date and time manually or have your phone automatically detect it.

Your Device’s SD Card Might Have Some Issues

If all of the above checks out, then the problem might lie in your SD card – if, of course, you are trying to back up on an SD card or to move WhatsApp to SD card.

Check to see if your SD card has sufficient storage space for additional downloads. If your SD card is full, it won’t be able to accommodate any more data. 

To fix this, simply delete or transfer all unnecessary files on your card and see if this resolves the issue.

If it still doesn’t work, try deleting the WhatsApp data from your SD card. Go to your phone’s Settings, click Storage, find WhatsApp, and tap Clear Data. You can also go to your SD card and manually delete any WhatsApp folder you find in there.

If, after all this, you still can’t get it to work, then your SD card is likely corrupted. Insert a different SD card into your phone and see if you can save images from WhatsApp there.

If your SD card is corrupted and you can save images from WhatsApp with a different SD card, you have two final options: reformat your SD card or go shopping for a new one.

FAQs

Can I Save Photos From WhatsApp?

You can save photos from WhatsApp using several methods. You can download it manually through the standard download button, or you can opt for periodic Gmail backups. You can also use a third-party app, like MobileTrans, for a one-click Whatsapp download and backup experience.

Where Are WhatsApp Images Stored In Android?

The images that you save from WhatsApp will automatically be saved to your camera roll, in a folder that Whatsapp creates in your device’s file system. You can also access the photos that you’ve stored through File Manager.

How To Save Whatsapp Photos On Android – Wrapping Up

As WhatsApp becomes more and more popular, it’s important to learn the basic tips and tricks that make the use of the app easier. One of these useful functions is the ability to save media files shared in the app, so we can view them later or keep a backup to use in case of an emergency.

In this guide, I’ve taught you how to save WhatsApp photos on Android using two main methods: the manual method and the method using a third-party app, like MobileTrans. If you followed the steps I laid out, you should have no trouble downloading images and media files off of WhatsApp like a pro.

Get MobileTrans now!

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About The Author

  • Michael Duong

    Tech editor and senior writer Michael Duong is passionate about technology and innovation. He codes open-source projects and plays quiz games in his free time. An expert in his field and an avid learner, always seeking to expand his knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving world of technology. His specialization is mobile security and mobile data safety. Follow Michael on Twitter and Github.

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Michael Duong

Tech editor and senior writer Michael Duong is passionate about technology and innovation. He codes open-source projects and plays quiz games in his free time. An expert in his field and an avid learner, always seeking to expand his knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving world of technology. His specialization is mobile security and mobile data safety. Follow Michael on Twitter and Github.

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