How to Save a WhatsApp Status on Android and iPhone (Photos & Videos)

WhatsApp Status updates disappear after 24 hours, and WhatsApp doesn’t include a download button for statuses posted by your contacts. If a friend shares a photo you love, a funny video or useful information, you need another way to keep it.

This guide covers every reliable method, starting with the simplest.

Quick answer

• Any phone: ask the person to send you the photo or video in a chat - it’s the best quality and the most respectful option.
• Android: use a status saver app such as Save Status, or copy the file from WhatsApp’s hidden .Statuses folder.
• iPhone: iOS doesn’t expose WhatsApp’s files, so use a screenshot (photos) or screen recording (videos).
• Your own status: open My status and choose Save from the menu.

Before you start: ask first

A status belongs to the person who posted it. Saving it for yourself is common, but re-posting someone else’s photo or video without permission can upset them - and in some cases break copyright or privacy laws. A quick “Can you send me that?” solves both problems.

Method 1: Ask the sender to forward it

When someone sends you a photo or video in a chat, you get the original file instead of a compressed copy. You can then save it from the chat like any other media.

You can also reply to their status directly: open the status, swipe up (or tap Reply) and ask. Your reply appears in their chat with a thumbnail of the status, so they know exactly which one you mean.

Method 2: Use the Save Status app (Android)

Disclosure: Save Status is made by the team behind this website.

Status saver apps read the copies of statuses that WhatsApp has already downloaded to your phone after you viewed them, and let you copy them to your gallery.

1. Open WhatsApp and view the status you want to keep.
2. Open Save Status. Viewed statuses appear under the WhatsApp tab (or WA Business if you use WhatsApp Business).
3. Switch between Photos and Videos, select the status and tap the download button.
4. Find it later in the app’s Saved Status section or in your phone’s gallery.

The first time you open the app, Android asks you to allow access to WhatsApp’s status folder. This is needed so the app can see the viewed statuses.

Method 3: Copy the file from the hidden .Statuses folder (Android, no app)

WhatsApp on Android stores statuses you have viewed in a hidden folder. You can copy files from it using a file manager.

1. View the status in WhatsApp first.
2. Open your phone’s Files app (or another file manager) and turn on Show hidden files in its settings.
3. Go to Internal storage › Android › media › com.whatsapp › WhatsApp › Media › .Statuses.
   • For WhatsApp Business the path is Android › media › com.whatsapp.w4b › WhatsApp Business › Media › .Statuses.
   • On older Android versions (10 and below) the folder may be at WhatsApp › Media › .Statuses in internal storage.
4. Long-press the photo or video and choose Copy (not Move), then paste it into another folder such as Pictures or Download.

Tip: WhatsApp regularly clears this folder, so copy the file soon after viewing. If the folder looks empty, view the status again and refresh.

Method 4: Screenshot or screen recording (iPhone and Android)

On iPhone, WhatsApp’s files are not accessible to other apps, so a capture is the practical option.

• Photos: take a screenshot while the status is open. On iPhone, press the side button and volume up together. Then crop out the WhatsApp interface.
• Videos: use Screen Recording from Control Center (add it under Settings › Control Center if you don’t see it). Start recording, play the status, then stop.

Captures are lower quality than the original file, and screen recordings may include notification banners - turn on a Focus mode first if you want a clean recording.

How to save your own WhatsApp status

Your own updates are easy to keep:

1. Go to the Updates tab and tap My status.
2. Tap the menu (⋮ on Android) next to the update you want, or open it on iPhone.
3. Choose Save. The photo or video is saved to your gallery.

You can also forward your own status to a chat - for example to yourself - to keep a copy.

Does WhatsApp tell someone if you save their status?

No. WhatsApp does not notify people when you screenshot, record or save their status. However, viewing a status normally adds your name to their viewers list - unless you have turned off read receipts, which also stops you seeing who viewed your own updates.

Common questions

Why can’t I find the .Statuses folder?

Make sure Show hidden files is turned on, and that you have viewed at least one status recently. Some older file managers can’t open the Android/media folder; Google’s Files app works on most phones.

Can I save a status without the person knowing I viewed it?

Only if your read receipts are turned off. We don’t recommend using this to watch content secretly - see our WhatsApp Status privacy guide for how viewing and read receipts work.

Why can’t I see a friend’s status at all?

There are several reasons, from contact settings to privacy lists. Read why you can’t see someone’s WhatsApp status.