WhatsApp, the messaging giant owned by Meta, is offering its users more control over data usage and storage through a new feature.
This feature allows users to choose the quality of automatically downloaded media, offering the option to select either "standard" or "HD" quality.
Currently available to select beta testers on WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.25.18.11, the feature allows users to decide whether incoming photos and videos should be saved in "standard quality" or "HD quality." The option can be found in the app's Storage and Data settings.
According to details, this update addresses one of the app’s most common complaints: the flood of high-resolution media in group chats, which clogs both data plans and phone storage.
In the background, the app now uses a dual-upload mechanism when users send HD media. Both standard and HD versions of a file are uploaded (without server-side compression due to end-to-end encryption). The recipient’s app then downloads the version that matches their preset preferences—smart, right?
If you prefer to download media in standard quality by default but want to view the HD version later, you can manually request it from the server (as long as it hasn’t expired).
This update is particularly valuable for those with limited data plans or unreliable connections, while still allowing high-resolution enthusiasts to keep their images crisp.
WhatsApp plans to expand this feature to all users in the coming weeks—so there’s a bit of waiting ahead. In the meantime, beta testers are already enjoying smarter downloads.
