Overview
- The setting appears in WhatsApp for iOS beta version 25.29.10.71 and is being enabled for more testers over the coming weeks, according to WABetaInfo.
- Users can choose Standard or HD under Settings → Storage & Data → Auto-Download Quality to set how photos and videos save by default.
- When HD media is sent, WhatsApp creates both compressed and high-resolution versions; recipients automatically get the variant matching their preference and can fetch the HD file on demand.
- Reporting says compression runs locally on devices and end-to-end encryption remains intact, meaning WhatsApp cannot view the content.
- Android already offers this control, and the iOS rollout brings feature parity; separately, Chip reports Meta plans to analyze AI-bot conversations for advertising starting December 16.