# For WhatsApp users: Here’s how you save data, manage pesky groups | Tech News (HT Tech)

> WhatsApp not just allows users to send and receive messages, but it also enables them to share, forward photos and videos. But many a times it becomes hard for a user to manage data consumption

# For WhatsApp users: Here’s how you save data, manage pesky groups

## WhatsApp not just allows users to send and receive messages, but it also enables them to share, forward photos and videos. But many a times it becomes hard for a user to manage data consumption

Aug 20 2022, 18:50 IST

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![WhatsApp not just allows users to send and receive messages, but it also enables them to share, forward photos and videos. But there are many instances where these features becomes more of a bane than a boon.](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/rf/image_size_960x540/HT/p2/2020/01/06/Pictures/whatsapp-photo-displayed-illustration-with-smartphones-front_a658ec48-305f-11ea-aefd-7ef998f55354.jpg)

WhatsApp not just allows users to send and receive messages, but it also enables them to share, forward photos and videos. But there are many instances where these features becomes more of a bane than a boon. (REUTERS)

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### By HT CORRESPONDENT

WhatsApp not just allows users to send and receive messages, but it also enables them to share, forward photos and videos. But many a times it becomes hard for a user to manage the data consumption due to the heavy inflow of information in the groups or individual chat windows.

Here are some features that are usually not well received by users, annoying to say the least, and how you can manage them:

Manage pesky WhatsApp groups

Also read

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Often people are added to chat groups where they do not want to be or are not active. WhatsApp already has 'Vacation Mode' feature that helps users mute the group from which they do not want to receive messages.

Android users willing to activate the feature can go to the WhatsApp group, tap on three vertical dots on the top right, toggle down to mute notification and select the time frame -- 8 hours, 1 week, 1 year.

iOS users can activate the feature by tapping on the group name and clicking on the mute notification. Users can select the time frame be it 8 hours, 1 week or 1 year.

Block people from adding you to groups

WhatsApp has updated its privacy settings in November last year that allows users to restrict people from adding them randomly to chat groups. The privacy update replaces the previously "nobody" option with a "my contact except" choice.

According to WhatsApp, users can go enable the feature by going to the Settings of the app, tap Account > Privacy > Groups and select one of three options: "Everyone," "My Contacts," or "My Contacts Except."

By selecting "My Contacts" only those people who are in the user's contact list can add them to groups and "My Contacts Except" provides additional control for who among the users' contacts can add them to a group.

Turn off media auto-download

The auto-download feature on WhatsApp consumes a lot of internet data of users. The moment videos or pictures, as well as GIFs and memes, are sent by anyone on personal chat or on WhatsApp chat group, it automatically downloads the file irrespective of file size. This eats up a lot of data without users even being aware of it.

WhatsApp can stop auto-download of media and save their data by following the steps mentioned below:

For Android: Open WhatsApp on your phone, tap on three vertical dots on the top right, click on Settings, toggle down to Data and storage usage, click on Media auto-download.

Users will see three options: When Using Cellular Data When Connected on Wi-Fi and When Roaming. Users can disable auto-downloads by removing the ticks on all the options - Photos, Audio, Videos, Documents.

For iOS: Go to WhatsApp on your iPhone, tap on the name of the person or chat group whose audio, video, pictures and documents you do not want to get downloaded automatically. Scroll to Save to Camera Roll option and then select 'Never'.

Users will need to repeat the steps for all the contacts or groups from which they want to switch the automatic download off.

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