Apple Watch suffocated by lack of space? The app that is to blame – and the solution

Why is this happening?

The possible reason is the accumulation of information stored inside the watch. Apps use temporary files to display images, messages, and content quickly. Usually these files are deleted or replaced automatically, but sometimes they continue to accumulate and take up a lot of space. In the case of WhatsApp, this includes, among other things, photos, voice messages, video thumbnails and parts of the call history.

This is not a problem that appears with every user, and Apple and Meta did not announce a sweeping bug that causes WhatsApp to fill up all Apple watches. However, users have reported cases where the application took up an unusual amount of space, sometimes several gigabytes, even without actively downloading many files.

In recent years, the way WhatsApp works on the watch has also changed. In the past it was mainly possible to receive notifications and reply to them, without a full application. Today there is an official WhatsApp application for the Apple Watch, which allows you to read conversations, send messages, record voice messages and view photos and stickers. These options make the watch more useful, but they also require it to save local information.

The storage volume varies between Apple Watch models. Newer models usually have 64 GB installed, while older models have 32 GB or less. Part of the volume is reserved for the operating system, so not all of it is available for apps, music and photos.

What do we do?

The first step is to check what is really taking up the space. On the watch itself, enter the settings, select “General” and then “Storage”. You can perform the same test on the iPhone as well: open the clock application, go to “General” and click on “Storage”. After a short wait, a list of the applications and items that occupy the memory volume will appear.

If WhatsApp is at the top of the list and takes up an abnormal volume, it is recommended to start by restarting the iPhone and the watch. On the watch, press and hold the side button, select shutdown, wait about half a minute and turn it on again. A normal startup may allow the system to complete deletions of files that are no longer needed and refresh the storage data.

At the same time, it is recommended to make sure that the operating system on the watch, the operating system on the iPhone and the WhatsApp application are updated to the latest versions. Updates sometimes include fixes for sync errors and storage management issues. To update the watch, go to the watch app on your iPhone, select “General” and then “Software Update”.

If the space has not yet been freed, you can remove WhatsApp from the watch only. The operation does not delete the application from the iPhone, does not delete the account and does not delete the saved conversations on the phone. In the clock application on the iPhone, scroll to the list of installed applications, select WhatsApp and turn off the option to display the application on the Apple Watch.

You can also delete the app directly from the watch. Press the digital crown to open the applications screen, press and hold the WhatsApp icon and select delete. Then restart the watch and wait a few minutes before checking the storage volume again.

Even after removing the application, you can continue to receive notifications on the watch about WhatsApp messages that arrive on the iPhone, as long as the notifications are activated. You can also reply to some of the messages from within the notification itself. However, the advanced options of the application, such as opening the call list and recording a voice message from WhatsApp, will not be available until it is reinstalled.

If a lot of space has been freed up after the deletion, you can reinstall the app and check if the storage volume remains normal. If it quickly takes up an abnormal volume again, it is better to leave it outside the watch temporarily and be satisfied with the notifications that come from the iPhone.

No need to do a forced reboot to free up space. Forced boot is intended for situations where the watch is stuck and does not respond to presses, and not for a normal cleaning operation. There is also no certainty that it deletes temporary files or frees up volume. Only if the watch does not respond at all, you can press the side button and the digital crown together for about 10 seconds, until the Apple symbol appears on the screen.

And if it’s not a WhatsApp application?

If WhatsApp is not the app that takes up most of the space, you should check other items. Songs downloaded to the watch, podcast episodes, audiobooks, photos and maps for use without an Internet connection can accumulate and fill the memory. Sometimes new podcast episodes are automatically downloaded every night, without the user being aware of it.

To reduce the volume of photos, go to the photo settings in the watch application on the iPhone and reduce the number of photos that are synchronized. You can choose one small album or limit the quantity. In the music and podcast settings, you should delete albums and episodes that are no longer needed and turn off automatic download of new content.

It is also recommended to check which apps are installed on the watch. Sometimes every application that is installed on the iPhone is automatically added to the watch, even though it is not needed. In the clock application, go to “General” and turn off the option for automatic installation of applications. You can then manually select which ones will appear on your wrist.

Deleting old workouts usually won’t free up significant volume. The fitness and health data are mainly saved on the iPhone and the user account, and they take up little space compared to photos, music and apps. That’s why it’s a good idea to start by checking your media and apps before deleting medical data or training history.

If the watch continues to warn of a lack of space even after removing apps and media, you can disconnect the link between it and the iPhone and configure it again. The operation is done through the clock application on the iPhone. Before disconnection, a backup is usually created, which allows you to restore the settings and information after reconnecting.

In cases where the problem returns even after restoring the backup, you can configure the watch as a new device. This is a more extreme action, so it is recommended to perform it only after all other steps have been tried. If even after that the storage volume fills up quickly, it may be a problem with the software or the watch itself, in which case it is recommended to contact Apple support.