WhatsApp status videos are stored in the internal storage of your phone, specifically in the WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses folder. This folder contains all the videos you have saved for status updates. The videos are saved when you record or upload a new status. You can access and manage these status videos using your phone’s file manager.
Understanding WhatsApp status videos
The WhatsApp status feature allows users to share photos, videos and GIFs that disappear after 24 hours. These ephemeral status updates are a popular way to share moments and updates with your WhatsApp contacts.
When you record a new video for your status directly within WhatsApp or upload a video from your phone’s gallery, WhatsApp will save these videos locally so they can be displayed in your status. The app needs to store the videos on your device in order to properly upload them as your status and show them to your contacts.
WhatsApp status video storage location
By default, WhatsApp stores status videos in the internal storage of your Android phone, in a folder called WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses. This folder is created automatically when you first save a status video.
The WhatsApp/Media folder contains all media exchanged through the app, organized into subfolders like WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images and WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes. The .Statuses subfolder is dedicated specifically to storing your status videos.
On Android, you can find this folder by navigating to:
Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Media > .Statuses
Or:
Phone/Device Storage > WhatsApp > Media > .Statuses
The actual path may vary slightly depending on your specific Android phone and version.
How WhatsApp saves status videos
Whenever you upload a new video for your status, WhatsApp will:
- Compress and optimize the video for status upload
- Save the compressed video file to the .Statuses folder
- Upload the video as your new status update
If you record a video directly in the WhatsApp status composer, it will save the new recording to the .Statuses folder before uploading it.
The filename for each saved video is a randomly generated string of numbers and letters followed by the .mp4 extension, like “135642abc578.mp4”.
Statuses you view from your contacts are not saved to your phone’s storage. Only the videos you upload yourself are locally stored in the .Statuses folder.
File formats for WhatsApp status videos
WhatsApp status videos are saved as MP4 video files. This is a widely supported, efficient video format optimized for mobile platforms.
When you upload a video for status, if the original video has a different file extension like .mov or .avi, WhatsApp will convert it to MP4 format before saving it to your device’s storage.
MP4 is ideal for status videos because:
- It compresses videos into smaller file sizes that are fast to share
- MP4 videos seamlessly loop, which is perfect for status viewing
- The format is compatible with all phones, allowing anyone to view your status
Video compression for statuses
To save storage space and optimize status videos for smooth sharing, WhatsApp compresses and resizes any video you upload for status.
When you select a video to upload as your status update, WhatsApp will:
- Compress the video to reduce its file size
- Downscale the video resolution to fit status dimensions
- Convert the video to MP4 if the original used a different file type
The compressed video is saved to your device storage. The original, uncompressed video remains untouched in your phone’s gallery or wherever it was originally saved.
This compression can reduce video file sizes by over 90% in some cases. For example, a 60MB video may be compressed down to under 5MB as a WhatsApp status video.
Smaller file sizes allow status videos to upload quickly even on slower connections. It also takes up much less of your phone’s storage space.
Location of status videos on iPhone
On iPhones, WhatsApp status videos are saved to a different folder location than Android. Instead of internal storage, they are stored in the WhatsApp cloud sync folder.
To find your saved WhatsApp status videos on iPhone, go to:
On My iPhone > WhatsApp > Media > Statuses
You can also find the Status folder under Settings > General > iPhone Storage > WhatsApp.
This folder is synced across your iCloud account. Your status videos will be accessible on any iPhone you use WhatsApp on while signed into the same iCloud account.
Manually deleting saved status videos
Over time, your WhatsApp .Statuses folder may accumulate many saved status videos, taking up storage space. If you need to free up space, you can manually delete old videos from this folder.
To delete saved status videos on Android:
- Open your device’s Files or File Manager app
- Navigate to the WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses folder
- Select the videos you want to remove
- Delete the selected files
On iPhone, use the Files app to locate the WhatsApp > Media > Statuses folder and delete unneeded videos the same way.
This will only delete the locally saved videos, not remove them from your status updates. Your contacts will still be able to view your status normally.
Using a file manager to access status videos
Your phone’s file manager app provides an easy way to directly access, view, and manage the videos saved in your WhatsApp .Statuses folder.
For example, on Android you can use the built-in Files app, Solid Explorer, ASTRO File Manager, or any other file manager you have installed.
Using your file manager, go to the WhatsApp/Media/.Statuses folder location on your phone’s storage. Here you can:
- View and play back your saved status videos
- Rename, move, or delete status videos
- Share videos from this folder to other apps
- Sort videos by date, size, name, etc.
File managers provide powerful file management capabilities, letting you directly manipulate the status video files saved on your device.
Backing up your status videos
If you want to preserve important status videos beyond their 24 hour expiry, you can back them up from your phone’s storage.
You have a few options to back up your status videos:
- Copy videos from the .Statuses folder to another folder or your computer using a USB cable
- Upload videos to cloud storage like Google Drive or iCloud
- Use your phone’s built-in backup features to include the .Statuses folder
Backing up gives you a permanent copy of status videos you want to keep. Just be mindful of privacy if the videos contain sensitive content.
Status storage usage and limits
WhatsApp does limit how much space your stored status media can use. According to WhatsApp FAQ:
- Each status video upload is limited to 16MB in size
- Your most recent 100 status posts are stored on your phone
- Your whole status storage space cannot exceed 4GB
With video compression, you’re unlikely to hit these limits for normal personal use. But good to be aware of maximum status storage capacity.
Reducing WhatsApp storage usage
If WhatsApp is using up too much of your phone’s storage, there are a few ways you can reduce its storage footprint:
- Manually delete old statuses you no longer need
- Reduce the auto-download settings for media in WhatsApp
- Turn off auto-backup to Google Drive or iCloud
- Delete messages and conversations you no longer need
- Clear the WhatsApp cache from your device settings
Finding and deleting your largest status videos can quickly free up a lot of storage space. The less media you automatically save from WhatsApp, the less space it will consume overall.
Troubleshooting missing status videos
If recently uploaded status videos are missing from your WhatsApp/.Statuses folder, here are some troubleshooting steps:
- Restart your phone – this can fix temporary glitches
- Check if WhatsApp has storage permissions enabled for your device
- Re-upload the missing videos to your status again
- Update to the latest WhatsApp version in case of a bug
- Contact WhatsApp support if the issue persists
Backing up your status videos right after filming or uploading them prevents losing any important statuses due to errors.