WhatsApp Web or Desktop offers convenience, but many users are unsure where exchanged files are stored. If you’ve received a photo or document and struggled to find it, this guide takes you through the process.
Good to know: if WhatsApp is your go-to messaging app, you need to be aware of the most common WhatsApp scams.
Find WhatsApp Files on Desktop
Windows
If you have a Windows PC and are using the WhatsApp desktop client, your files will be stored on your main drive. (In this case, it’s my C:\ drive.) To find the folder, follow this path, but remember to replace YourUserName with your unique user name.
C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Packages\5319275A.WhatsAppDesktop_cv1g1gvanyjgm\LocalState\shared\transfersPaste this in your File Explorer for it to open in your WhatsApp folder. Files are sorted in folders marked by year, making it easier to find the specific file you’re searching for.
Note: the AppData folder is hidden, so pasting the path is the fastest way to access it.
Another way of going about this is to go to the C:\ local drive on your device and search for WhatsApp. It can take a while before Windows displays the search results, but you should find the folder there, or at least the AppData/Local one.
Mac
If you’re using the WhatsApp desktop client on a Mac computer, open Finder. Navigate to the Go -> Go to Folder. Enter the following path:
~/Library/Containers/WhatsApp/Data/Library/Application Support/WhatsApp/MediaTip: like Windows, the Library folder is hidden, so using the direct path is the simplest way to get to it.
This will take you directly to the media folders where you’ll find subfolders for Images, Videos, and more.
Tip: can’t access your Locked Chats on WhatsApp? Learn how to bring them back.
Alternative Method of Finding WhatsApp Files on Desktop
If you don’t want to have to search through all these folders to find a specific file, there’s a faster way to do it. Use this method if you can recall who sent you the file you’re trying to find and approximately when it happened.
Open the WhatsApp desktop client, and go to the conversation with the person who sent you the file.
Click on their profile picture at the top.
Select either Files or Media to see the most recent files the person sent to you.
Find the photo or file you’re looking for, and right-click it. Select the Save as option to save the file on your desktop or anywhere else for easy access.
If you can’t find the WhatsApp folder on your device, you may want to check whether you’ve enabled the option to automatically save media and files to your local device. In WhatsApp on desktop, check the left side and click the gear icon toward the bottom.
Go to Storage and make sure all options have a checkmark.
FYI: learn how to save anyone’s profile picture on WhatsApp using one of these methods.
Quickly Clear Space on Your Desktop
If you tend to exchange a lot of files with the people you chat with on WhatsApp, your WhatsApp folder may have grown quite big, leading it to eat up space on your main drive. You can quickly make some space by deleting all these folders.
You will have to check quite carefully whether you really want to get rid of all of these files. If you’re sure, select them all, and press the Delete button to remove them from your device. In my case, I was able to clear 3.84 GB from my C:\ drive.
Find Your WhatsApp Files If You Use WhatsApp Web
If you rely on WhatsApp Web for chatting on your PC, keep in mind that it won’t automatically save files and images to the WhatsApp folder above. Instead, you’ll have to remember to manually save whichever file you need for later use.
If you’re using Chrome or Firefox, these will land in the Downloads folder. Click a photo to download it, then press the download icon in the upper-right corner.
If you want to save a file, use the download button next to the file name in WhatsApp chat.
Tip: learn how to share your location using WhatsApp.
For those who are new to using WhatsApp on a desktop, it could be helpful to learn how to install and use WhatsApp on your Windows PC. On the other hand, if you prefer using WhatsApp on your phone, you may want to start scanning documents with WhatsApp on your iPhone.
Image credit: DepositPhotos. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.
