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WhatsApp makes it easier to mass-delete GIFs and videos clogging up phone space

A new storage management tool aims to make it simpler to identify, review and bulk-delete content.
A new storage management tool aims to make it simpler to identify, review and bulk-delete content. A new storage management tool aims to make it simpler to identify, review and bulk-delete content.

WhatsApp is rolling out an update that will make it easier for users to mass delete GIFs, videos and images stored on their smartphone.

Multimedia files can take up a lot of a device’s storage space over time – and until now, clearing it from WhatsApp meant going through chats and selecting what to remove.

The Facebook-owned chat app is introducing a new storage management tool which aims to make it simpler to identify, review and bulk-delete content that may be filling a person’s phone.

Easy clean-up suggestions will group together both large files and media that have been forwarded many times, as well as sorting files by size in descending order, and providing a way to preview files before deleting them.

A preview of media can also be seen before selecting one or multiple items to delete.

The feature will roll out to users worldwide this week, and will be found under Settings – Storage and Data – Manage storage.