Whatsapp Photos Automatically Saved To Google Photos

[countrykid]

Is it possible to prevent Photos/Images received on WhatsApp from being automatically saved to Google Photos? I want to still view any photos/images on WhatsApp but just don't need them clogging up my Gallery or stored in Google Photos.

I have tried to find a way - clicking on the three dots on main WhatsApp page and selecting Settings>Data and Storage> and then under the heading Media auto-download selecting "When connected to wi-fi" and unticking Photos, Videos etc, but doing that simply prevented photos from being viewed in Whatsapp without clicking on each one as it came through. Once a photo was clicked on to view it - it then automatically got saved to Google Photos. Any help appreciated

[Buenchico]

Anything you download from Whatsapp is going to take up space on your phone. Your photos are going into Whatsapp's 'Images' folder (which is inside its 'Media' one). When Google Photos or Android Gallery search for images they include that location as one to look at. (i.e. the photos AREN'T being copied into a separate folder used by one or other of those apps; they're ONLY in the Whatsapp 'Images' folder).

You can stop Google Photos and Android Gallery looking in the Whatsapp folder for images by following the instructions under 'Hide WhatsApp images from Google Photos or Android Gallery' here:
https://www.techjunkie.com/stop-whatsapp-saving-videos-photos/

However that won't reduce the amount of space that they take up on your phone because they'll still be in the Whatsapp 'Images' folder (where they have to be if you want to continue having access to them through Whatsapp).

[countrykid]

Thanks buenchico for a very comprehensive answer, I'll take a look at the link you have kindly given and let you know how I get on.