Surely more than once you have encountered this WhatsApp problem: there is not enough storage space available. Something that prevents you from downloading the latest version or update of WhatsApp. What leaves you at a disadvantage: you can’t use WhatsApp because it forces you to install the latest version, but you can’t download the update either. Well, here we have a tutorial so you can free up the necessary storage space and carry out all these steps. And without losing anything.
I can’t update WhatsApp due to lack of space
The error that says that there is not enough storage space available will leave you unable to download WhatsApp or update the application due to lack of this space. The updates download files to your mobile to add new functions or fixes for old problems. And this space must be free to allow this action to be carried out. However, on your mobile there are several types of memory and spaces, and sometimes you will not need to delete photos and videos to update WhatsApp. Just delete the cache from Google Play Store. Follow these steps
- Enter the Settings of your mobile and look for the Applications section.
- Here, search for Google Play Store and enter the Storage section.
- Clear the cache
- Repeat this process with the Data section to delete any data from the Google Play Store (this will not delete data about your user account).
- Restart the mobile. Turn it off completely and wait about 30 seconds before turning it back on.
- Try downloading, installing or updating the WhatsApp application from the Google Play Store.
With this you will have managed to free the Google Play Store cache that can sometimes jeopardize the correct functioning of your mobile. And it is that, if your terminal is old, it is possible that it is short of memory. Of all of them. And let it be this cache that triggers the “Not enough storage space available” warning every time you try to update the messaging app.
But beware, it is possible that you also have the storage memory full of documents, photos, videos, memes and more. If this is the case and you still cannot update or download WhatsApp, it is best to follow the following steps.
Tips to free up storage space on your mobile to download WhatsApp
If the notice of “Not enough storage space available” keeps popping up Even after clearing the Google Play Store cache then it is safe: you need to erase content from your mobile. It will be the only way to make room for those files and elements that the WhatsApp update needs. This is what you can do according to WhatsApp itself to avoid this error:
- Clear all the cache of your mobile. Try freeing up more cache space beyond the Google Play Store. Go into Settings, search for storage and choose the option to clear cache.
- Move data and applications from the internal memory of the mobile to the SD card. This option has been present for a few generations of Android, and will allow you to free up space in the internal memory by taking files and applications to the microSD card if you have one. You will find the option to do so in the Storage menu.
- Delete everything you don’t use. It is the basic key of this section. Less is more, and leaving things behind will help you move forward with your mobile. Uninstall applications that are collecting dust, delete videos and memes that you have already seen, delete photographs that you have not published or that you have already uploaded to Google Photos … You can do many things to delete elements that, surely, you do not use or need.
- Check hidden WhatsApp folders. Inside the WhatsApp folder on our mobile, the conversations and the elements that we receive and also send are saved. This can generate a lot of waste without realizing it, especially in regards to photos, videos and audios that we send and that we forget. The problem is that our mobile keeps a copy of all of them taking up space. Therefore, with a file manager (most mobiles have one or you can download it as an app from the Google Play Store), you should go through the folders within WhatsApp / Media. Here you will find new folders that separate the contents by images (images), videos and audio notes (voice notes). And, inside each one of them, a hidden folder called Sent or sent. Well, here you can delete all those content that you have already sent and are not interested in keeping.
And ready. With all this you should have given enough space to install and update WhatsApp to spare. So the message “Not enough storage space available” will not appear over and over again. Of course, keep in mind that with this second method you will lose everything you delete. There is no option to fix it. So try always clearing the cache first.
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