Tech Desk 
Jun 11, 2025
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature for its Android app, which gives users more control over the quality of media that is automatically downloaded.
According to WABetaInfo, a WhatsApp feature tracker, the instant messaging platform may allow users to select between standard or high-definition (HD) quality settings.
WhatsApp introduces media auto-download quality settings
Once the feature is rolled out, a new Auto-download quality option will appear in WhatsApp settings.
To note, it can be found by navigating to Settings > Storage and data > Auto-download quality. Users will be able to select between the Standard quality or HD quality options for photos and videos that will automatically be downloaded on their device via a pop-up menu.
According to the feature tracker, the Standard quality option compresses the media to reduce file size. It is said to be more efficient, occupies less space, and results in faster downloads.
Notably, if the media auto-download quality is set to standard, WhatsApp for Android is said to automatically fetch the smaller, compressed file by default.
However, recipients may still be able to retrieve the HD version of the image or video by manually viewing the media file on the app.
This capability builds upon the dual-upload feature that was recently introduced on WhatsApp.
The media auto-download quality feature is available to some beta testers registered via the Google Play Beta programme, as per WABetaInfo.
It is expected to be rolled out to more users over the coming weeks. Notably, Meta's instant messaging client was said to be testing similar capabilities for its iOS counterpart.
