WhatsApp is one of the most used instant messaging services in the world. Now that WhatsApp is officially available on Windows and Mac as well, many users are using WhatsApp on their computers as well.
By default, when you install WhatsApp on your Windows 10/11 PC, it does not consume GBs of disk space. However, once you start using it, especially if you often share and receive videos from your friends and family, WhatsApp can soon begin eating up GBs of crucial disk space, thanks to all the media files that you have received on WhatsApp.
On your Windows 10/11 PC, with default settings, WhatsApp automatically downloads all photos, videos, PDF files, and other types of files that you receive from other contacts. Because of this behavior, the WhatsApp app and your PC will start using GBs of disk space in a few weeks.
Before knowing how to free up the storage space used by WhatsApp, it would be a great idea to check how much storage WhatsApp (this includes all the media files you have shared and received on WhatsApp) is using on your PC. Here is how.
Check how much storage WhatsApp is using on Windows 10/11 PC
Step 1: On a Windows 11 PC, go to Windows 11 Settings app > Apps > Installed apps.
Step 2: Look for the WhatsApp entry. You should see the space used by WhatsApp next to it. If the storage information is not available, make sure that you are viewing the installed apps list in the list view by clicking on the list view icon at the top right of the page.
Free up space used by WhatsApp in Windows 10/11
WhatsApp saves all downloaded media files, including video and photos, to the following location:
C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Packages\5319275A.WhatsAppDesktop_cv1g1gvanyjgm\LocalState\shared\transfers
In the above path, “C” is the drive letter of the drive where Windows 10/11 is installed.
So, you can visit this folder and delete all folders in it to free up the space used by WhatsApp on your Windows 10/11 computer. Here is how.
Step 1: Close WhatsApp if it’s running.
Step 2: Open the File Explorer. Click View, click Show, and then select Hidden files to configure the File Explorer to show hidden files and folders.
Step 3: Double-click on the Windows 10/11 installed drive to open the same.
Step 4: Now, navigate to:
Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Packages\5319275A.WhatsAppDesktop_cv1g1gvanyjgm\LocalState\shared\transfers
Step 5: You will find several folders under the “transfers” folder. You can select all of them and delete to immediately delete all media files stored by WhatsApp on your computer.
Our how-to uninstall and remove the WhatsApp app from Windows 10/11 PC guide might also interest you.
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