WhatsApp is under active development. Updates to the application are designed to implement new features and fix bugs. However, WhatsApp can sometimes cause problems, as in the case of the Error of failed downloads. If you have experienced this error, the tips that we give you here will help you to solve it.
Why I can’t download anything in WhatsApp
We’ll go through the various reasons why you might have trouble downloading content using the messaging app.
Free up space on internal storage
One of the reasons why WhatsApp cannot download files is a full memory. We recommend going into your phone’s settings and opening the storage settings.
Open storage settings
Then press the top button to free up space. Depending on the manufacturer, this tool is more or less extensive.
Free up storage space on Android
Also look at which file types take up the most space. With this information in mind, you go to Explorer and delete the files you no longer need or upload them to the cloud to create a backup. Once you have free space, go back to WhatsApp to download the file again.
Check if WhatsApp can access the storage
Another possible cause of the download failed error is that WhatsApp no access to storage Has. Open the application’s information panel to check this.
Open app information
There you go into the settings for the permissions.
View App Permissions on Android
Check if you have permission to access the internal storage Denied (refused) is set. If yes, click on it.
Storage Access Permissions
Finally, tap Allow (allow) to allow WhatsApp to access the internal storage to save files.
Allow WhatsApp access to internal storage
When you’re done, open WhatsApp and check if it’s possible to download files or not.
Reset the application to rule out errors
An effective solution in most cases is application reset completely. In the information panel you visited in the previous section, you’ll see the storage and cache settings.
View save options
First, clear the cache and see if that is enough. If not, tap Clear storage (clear memoryto reset WhatsApp to zero.
Reset the application
After following these steps, you’ll need to log back into the app with your phone number.
Download the latest WhatsApp update
It is important that you installed the latest WhatsApp updateto avoid errors like this one. Tap the link on this page to access the application’s download tab in Malavida.
Look for the green button that takes you to the download section in our app review where you can find our analysis and screenshots.
Download the latest version of WhatsApp
Click on the download button and get the APK.
Start APK download
When the download finishes, open the file you just downloaded on your phone.
Open newly downloaded APK
Click the install button to start the process.
Install WhatsApp updates
The final step is to open the application and check if the error is a thing of the past.
Open WhatsApp after update
Make sure you have an internet connection
Without an internet connection it is of course impossible to download files. Go to Android’s quick settings and view your device’s active connectivity.
Check internet connection on android
It’s important that you have Wi-Fi or mobile data turned on. Also turn off Airplane mode if you have enabled it for some reason or accidentally.
Test if other apps can download data
Once you’ve verified that all connections are working properly, you can try using and downloading content to other apps. If they work properly, is WhatsApp most likely temporarily out of service. In this case, all you can do is wait for the servers to start working again.
Download the file from WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp Web is a good ally to keep the files of your conversations on the platform. First you need to connect your computer. Enter the following URL in your browser:
- https://web.whatsapp.com
Then open the context menu on your phone and click Linked devices (linked devices).
Show linked devices
Click on the central button to link a new device.
Link new device
Scan the QR code you see on WhatsApp Web with your camera.
Scan QR Code
Finally, open the conversation on your computer and try to download the file. If you’re successful, send the file to your phone via USB or use a cloud-based service.
Ask your contact for the file again.
We close this article with the possible solutions to the WhatsApp download failed error using the simplest method: Ask your contact to resend the file to you. If the problem is in the document itself, it is sufficient if the other user forwards it to you via WhatsApp. If it’s the service itself that’s crashed, contact them via email or SMS and request a copy of the file.