What happens if you clear WhatsApp data - briefly?
If you clear the data for WhatsApp on your device, all locally stored messages and media will be deleted. However, your conversations and data backed up to cloud storage services like Google Drive or iCloud will remain unaffected.
What happens if you clear WhatsApp data - in detail?
Clearing the data of WhatsApp can have significant consequences on your user experience and the functionality of the application. When you choose to clear the app's data, several key changes occur:
Firstly, all locally stored messages and media files are deleted from your device. This means that any text conversations, images, videos, or documents shared through WhatsApp will no longer be accessible on your phone. However, it is important to note that this action does not affect the cloud backup of your data. If you have enabled backups in Google Drive or iCloud, you can restore your messages and media files after reinstalling WhatsApp.
Secondly, your chat history will be wiped clean. This includes both personal conversations and group chats. Any information exchanged within these chats, such as contact details, shared locations, or important updates, will be lost unless they are backed up in the cloud. Additionally, any customizations you have made to individual chats, like changing the wallpaper or notification settings, will be reset to their default values.
Thirdly, all your contacts will lose their WhatsApp status information. This includes profile pictures, about sections, and recent activity indicators. You will need to manually update these details after clearing the data. Furthermore, any pinned chats or starred messages will be unpinned and unstarred respectively.
Fourthly, all your settings within WhatsApp will revert to their default states. This includes privacy settings, notification preferences, data usage configurations, and any other customizations you may have applied. You will need to go through the process of setting up these options again according to your preferences.
Lastly, any unsent messages or media files that were pending delivery at the time of clearing the data will be lost. WhatsApp provides an option to delete failed messages manually, but if you choose to clear the app's data, these messages will be permanently erased.
In summary, while clearing WhatsApp data can help free up storage space on your device or resolve certain issues with the application, it is a drastic measure that should be undertaken with caution. Ensuring that your data is backed up regularly can mitigate many of these consequences and allow for a smoother restoration process if needed.