Sending HD photos on WhatsApp just got easier 🥳

Cliquez ici pour lire en français

For several months now, WhatsApp has been offering the possibility of sending photos and videos in higher quality. However, you had to activate the option for each photo. Well, not anymore.

Send your media in HD by default 🤩

WhatsApp recently rolled out a long-awaited new feature: the ability to send photos and videos in high definition (HD) by default. Until now, the application automatically compressed shared media to save bandwidth and storage space, degrading their quality.

This update, spotted by Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii, greatly simplifies the process of sharing high-resolution content. Previously, users had to manually select each photo or video to send it in its original format, a tedious procedure.

How to activate the HD Option?✅

From now on, by activating the « Media upload quality » option in WhatsApp settings, all new media will automatically be sent in HD, without excessive compression. A small « HD » label will appear in the bottom left-hand corner to identify these high-quality files.

To check if you have access to this new feature, follow these steps :

1. Go to the application settings.
2. Open « Storage and data ».
3. Select « Media upload quality ».

It’s important to note that even in HD, some compression is applied to optimize data transfer. But the loss of quality will be considerably less than with the previous default settings.

Watch your consumption⚠️

Sending media in HD does have its drawbacks, however. The improved quality means that files use more bandwidth and storage space. WhatsApp warns that HD photos and videos can take up to six times more space than compressed versions. So if the person you’re talking to has limited storage space on their smartphone, they could quickly run out. Likewise, if you have a limited data plan, sending files in HD can consume a significant portion of your monthly quota, especially on 4G or 5G.

Do you often send photos and videos in HD? If so, what do you think of this new option? Tell us in the comments section.