WhatsApp allows users to share ephemeral photos, videos, and GIFs as their status that disappear after 24 hours. If you want to save someone’s WhatsApp status before it expires, there are a few different methods you can use to download and save it on your device.
Using Third Party Apps
The easiest way to download WhatsApp statuses is by using a third party app. There are many free apps available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store that allow saving WhatsApp statuses quickly and easily.
Some popular apps for downloading WhatsApp status include:
- Status Saver
- Status Downloader
- WAStatusSaver
- Status Saver for WhatsApp
- SaveStatus
To use one of these apps to download a status:
- Download and install the app on your Android or iOS device.
- Open the app and grant it required permissions.
- The app will display the list of all recent statuses from your WhatsApp contacts.
- Tap on any status you want to save.
- The status will start downloading. Most apps allow you to download photos, videos and GIFs.
- Once downloaded, you can save and share the status like any other photo/video on your device.
The advantage of using a dedicated status saver app is that it automates the process of checking and downloading new statuses from all your contacts.
You don’t have to manually capture or record statuses from WhatsApp to save them.
Using WhatsApp Features
WhatsApp also provides some built-in ways to download and save statuses, although the process is more manual.
Photo Statuses
If someone has shared a photo as their status, here is how you can download it:
- In WhatsApp, tap on the contact’s profile picture whose status you want to save.
- This will open their status. Tap and hold on the status photo to open the full screen view.
- Take a screenshot of the photo by pressing the Volume Down + Power button together on Android, or Volume Up + Power button on iPhone.
- The screenshot will save the photo to your device gallery.
Video Statuses
For video statuses, you need to record the video while it is playing:
- Open the contact’s status and tap to play the video status.
- Open your device’s screen recorder app. On Android this is built into recent devices, on iPhone you can use the pre-installed Screen Recording option under Settings.
- Start screen recording so that the status video is captured.
- Let the video play until completion while recording.
- Stop the screen recording. The video will be saved to your device gallery.
Instead of full screen recording, you can also try recording just a portion of the screen where the status video is playing. Some apps allow recording your device screen without requiring full screen capture.
Text Statuses
For text statuses, taking a screenshot won’t help since it saves just an image. You’ll need to copy and paste the text:
- Open the status and tap and hold on the text status.
- This will select all text. Copy it.
- Now paste the copied text in a note app or any text editor.
- The text status is now saved on your device.
Using WhatsApp Web
An easier way to download and record WhatsApp statuses is by using WhatsApp Web on your computer:
- Open web.whatsapp.com in your computer’s web browser and scan the QR code with your WhatsApp app to link it.
- All your chats and contacts will be synced between your phone and computer.
- When you open a status on web, you get options to download photo statuses or screen record videos.
- Use your computer’s screen recording option or print screen key to capture video statuses.
- Save any photos statuses by right click > Save image.
This method gives you more flexibility to record and download statuses than just using your mobile device.
Using Third Party WhatsApp Web Tools
There are also specialized third party tools and apps that work with WhatsApp Web to make downloading statuses even easier.
Some examples are:
- WASaver for Chrome – Browser extension to download WhatsApp statuses.
- SaveFrom Web – Browser extension to download pics, videos, GIFs.
- Video Downloader professional – Web-based tool to download videos.
To use these, first link your WhatsApp account to WhatsApp Web on your computer. Then install the extension or web tool.
Now when you open a status, you’ll see extra options to save photos, videos, GIFs from your computer’s WhatsApp Web with just one click.
Using WhatsApp Mods
There are modified (mod) versions of WhatsApp like GBWhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus that have built-in features to override status privacy settings and directly save others’ statuses.
However, using such mods can lead to your WhatsApp account getting banned for violating privacy. They also have security risks since they are not officially vetted by WhatsApp.
It’s better to avoid using unauthorized mods to download statuses. Stick to the official app and the legitimate methods discussed above if you want to avoid account hassles.
Status Download Apps/Tools Comparison
To summarize some of the best options covered above:
| Method | Platform | Price | Features | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated status-saver apps | Android, iOS | Free | Download photos, videos, GIFs automatically | Very easy |
| WhatsApp built-in | Android, iOS | Free | Limited manual saving of statuses | Moderate |
| WhatsApp Web | Web | Free | Photos, videos, GIFs download | Easy |
| Third party tools for WhatsApp Web | Web | Free | One click download | Very easy |
The best and easiest overall options are to use a dedicated status saver app or tool that works with WhatsApp Web. This gives you fast and convenient downloading without hassles.
Avoid any apps that require you to root or jailbreak your device as they are risky. Stick to mainstream apps from official app stores for reliability and safety.
Legality of Downloading WhatsApp Statuses
A common concern when downloading others’ statuses is whether it is legal and ethical. Here are some important points to keep in mind:
- Always ask for consent from a person before saving their status. Don’t download it secretly without their permission.
- Only share a downloaded status with others if the original poster is okay with it. Respect their privacy.
- Do not use a status for commercial purposes like advertising without permission.
- Make sure the status does not contain illegal or copyrighted content before sharing further.
- Deleting sensitive/private statuses from your device after saving is good practice.
- Do not use status downloading to stalk, harass, bully or harm someone else.
If you follow common sense privacy and ethical practices, downloading statuses as momento amongst consenting friends is usually fine.
However, be very cautious of downloading statuses of strangers, celebrities, or acquaintances without their explicit consent, as it may violate certain privacy laws in some regions.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Status Downloading
Some common problems faced when downloading WhatsApp statuses and how to resolve them:
Unable to save images/videos – Grant storage permission to the status saver app and ensure your phone storage has enough space.
Status not available for saving – The status may have expired. Try viewing and saving statuses immediately after they are posted for best results.
Status without audio – Some apps can’t download videos with audio. Use WhatsApp Web or screen recording to save with audio.
Status saver app not working – The app may be outdated or blocked by WhatsApp. Try a different recommended status saver app.
Can’t find new statuses automatically – Make sure the app has proper permissions enabled to view your contacts and statuses.
WhatsApp warning/ban – Always stick to official WhatsApp client and don’t use mods or unauthorized apps. They can lead to account ban.
Downloading WhatsApp statuses is possible through various legitimate means. Be sure to only save statuses from trusted contacts with their consent, and not exploit or misuse them.
Using reputable apps and tools is preferable over questionable modded apps. Follow general privacy and ethical principles, don’t use downloading just to snoop on unsuspecting contacts.
With the right approach, you can safely preserve interesting statuses and moments from your friends and family on WhatsApp.
