What will happen if I clear the data in WhatsApp - briefly?
Clearing the data in WhatsApp will delete all your messages and media from the app's cache. However, it won't affect your chat history or contacts, as they are stored on the server.
What will happen if I clear the data in WhatsApp - in detail?
Clearing the data in WhatsApp is a significant action that can have several consequences, both immediate and long-term. This process effectively resets the app to its default state, which impacts various aspects of your user experience and data management.
Firstly, all local data stored on your device will be erased. This includes messages, media files such as photos and videos, documents, and any other content that has been downloaded or saved locally. It is important to note that this action does not affect the data stored on WhatsApp's servers, meaning that your chat history and media files are still available in the cloud. However, you will no longer have access to them on your device until you manually download them again.
Secondly, clearing the data will log you out of your WhatsApp account. This means that you will need to go through the setup process once more to reconnect your phone number with your WhatsApp profile. During this process, you may be prompted to enter a verification code sent to your phone number to confirm your identity and regain access to your account.
Thirdly, any custom settings or preferences that you have configured within the app will be reset to their default values. This includes notification settings, chat wallpaper, privacy settings, and other personalized options. You will need to manually adjust these settings again according to your preferences after clearing the data.
Additionally, all groups you are part of will still exist, but your membership status may change depending on the group's settings. If the group is set up with certain restrictions or requires an administrator's approval for new members, you might need to be re-added by an admin after clearing the data.
In summary, while clearing the data in WhatsApp does not delete your account or chat history stored on the servers, it will remove all local data and require you to set up the app again from scratch. It is advisable to back up your chat history regularly to avoid losing important information and to ensure a smooth transition if you ever need to clear the data in the future.