How to Fix The Download was Unable to Complete WhatsApp

1. Check Internet Connection

Always remember that a wireless internet connection is not necessarily stable every moment. You might be surprised by how frequently it causes the WhatsApp media downloading failure. Only a strong internet connection can support media download on WhatsApp. Sometimes, you may face such issues with active internet connections because of unexpected errors in transfer rates. Make sure that your internet connection is strong, and try accessing the files again. 

2. Check Date and Time

You may also face "The Download was Unable to Complete" if the date and time of your device are not correct because the incorrect date and time may not be able to work with WhatsApp servers to download media and get messages. 

You can easily resolve this issue by just jumping into settings, then a system from where you can set a date and time. By doing so, you will fix WhatsApp media downloading errors.

3. Update WhatsApp

If you use some older version of WhatsApp, you may face Unable to download issues. You can easily fix such issues just by updating your WhatsApp. To do so manually, you need to follow a few simple steps:

• Step 1: Go to Google Play Store first and search for "WhatsApp".

• Step 2: Tap on the "Update" option to download the available updates. Tap on it and install.

  

• Step 3: Open the app to see if the error still exists at the final step. 

If it happens, go for some other solution.

4. Check Media Permission on Android & iOS

Media permission is a thing that means a lot in this situation. But, keep in mind that different operating systems demand other procedures in this regard. To avoid downloading was unable to complete on WhatsApp, you need to follow the following steps to grant access to storage. 

• For Android

  Jump to setting, then applications, and tap on manage application. Now choose WhatsApp, then application permissions and storage to finally hit allow button. 

  

• For iOS

  Consider launching the Settings app to select the Privacy option. Later, choose Photos and choose WhatsApp from the whole application list. Now assure that “All Photos” are chosen.

  

5. Delete WhatsApp Beta Version

If you face these issues of download media failure, you can fix it by quitting the WhatsApp Beta Version. It is time to delete the WhatsApp Beta Version and use the Play Store's WhatsApp version. 

• For Android

  Open the Google Play Store, and search for WhatsApp. Now, you will see an option to leave the beta version of WhatsApp.

• For iOS

  Open the TestFlight App, then WhatsApp. Later, select the “Leave beta program” option from the following menu.

6. Enable Mobile Data for WhatsApp on iPhone

If you are an iPhone user, you might notice that iPhone Operating System restricts its mobile data for several applications from the setting menu. So, you will face failed to complete download type errors if this option is turned on. 

To better tackle, it, open the app settings on the iPhone. Scroll down to the WhatsApp application and enable mobile data for WhatsApp. 

7. Lock WhatsApp from Multitasking Menu on Android

Various third-party skins like FunTouch OS, MIUI, Color OS, and Realme UI can limit the app usage in the background to save battery life. Such systems are more likely to kill WhatsApp in the background and probably ruin the media download process.

So, it would be best if you opened a multitasking menu. Tap on the three-dot at the upper right corner. Select the lock option and lock WhatsApp in the background. This system won't hinder media downloading again. 

8. Enable “Save” to Camera Roll on iPhone

WhatsApp application offers a trick not to permit all the downloaded media in the gallery. It will restrict the media from being saved in the camera roll. If you have left this option enabled, you will not see media files of any kind in your phone storage. 

If you are an iPhone user, open the WhatsApp application and go to the settings, chats, and enable save to camera roll. This will let your media files be saved in phone storage. 

9. Turn on Background App Refresh

If you want to download WhatsApp media Files in the background, you should allow all the WhatsApp functions to run in the background. 

• For Android

  Tap long on the WhatsApp icon and open the app info option. Go to Wi-Fi and Mobile data and toggle on the background data option. 

• For iOS

  For the iPhone operating system, you need to go to Settings and WhatsApp. Now toggle on the Background App Refresh option, and you are good to go.

10. Check WhatsApp Servers

Sometimes, you may face the unable to download media error because of server-related issues from WhatsApp. To ensure that servers are working properly, you can visit the down-detector. To begin with, every media file you send or receive is saved on WhatsApp servers. In such situations, you are left with no option but to be patient and wait for Facebook to cater to the problem. Remember that Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp. 

11. Check SD Card Space

If your device is running out of enough space to download media files, you can go with checking SD Card Space. It is a suitable option when your device does not have adequate internal memory. You can also check the storage of your smartphone and delete unnecessary files to create more room for upcoming WhatsApp media files. 

12. Turn off SD Card Read-only Mode

To turn off SD Card Read-only Mode, you need to plug the read-only micro SD card in Windows. Then you need to follow these steps, click Start, then Run and enter cmd. Now enter diskpart. Type list volume and see various connected devices, and you need to recognize your memory card drive from all. Type the select volume #. # represents the letter of memory card drive.

At last, type attributes disk clear read-only > removing the write protection.