Viber can quietly hoard gigabytes of photos, videos, voice messages, and stickers on your phone. You can clear most of it from inside the app's storage tools, no reinstall needed, and your chat history stays intact.
Short answer:
- In Viber, open More > Settings > Media & files (or Storage and data) and clear cached media.
- On Android, also clear the app cache at Settings > Apps > Viber > Storage > Clear cache (safe).
- Avoid Clear data / Clear storage, which signs you out and wipes local chats unless you've backed them up.
Why Viber Uses So Much Storage
Viber automatically downloads and saves every photo, video, voice note, GIF, and sticker shared in your chats and communities. In busy group chats and large communities, that media adds up to several gigabytes fast. Viber also caches stickers, link previews, and thumbnails to load conversations quickly.
To see the scale on Android, go to Settings > Apps > Viber > Storage. You'll see App size, User data, and Cache. The user-data figure, which holds saved media, is usually the large one. On iPhone, check Settings > General > iPhone Storage > Viber and look at Documents & Data.
Clear Viber's Cache and Media From Inside the App
Viber has built-in tools to remove cached and downloaded media without touching your conversations.
- Open Viber and tap More (bottom-right on Android, or the menu).
- Tap Settings.
- Tap Media & files or Storage and data depending on your version.
- Look for Clear cache and options to Manage storage or review media by chat.
In Manage storage, Viber shows which chats hold the most media, so you can clear the heaviest ones first. Removing this media frees space while your text chat history remains. Clearing the cache is always safe, it only removes temporary files Viber rebuilds as needed.
Clear Viber's Cache via Android Settings
On Android you can also clear Viber's temporary cache from system settings, a safe extra step.
- Open Settings > Apps.
- Tap Viber.
- Tap Storage.
- Tap Clear cache.
This removes only temporary files and is completely safe, your messages, media, and login stay intact. Do not tap Clear data or Clear storage here: that resets Viber to a fresh install, signing you out and deleting local chats and media that aren't backed up. The difference matters, so review clear cache vs clear data on Android before using the stronger option, and how to clear app cache on Android safely for the safe routine.
Stop Viber From Auto-Saving Media to Your Gallery
A separate drain is Viber saving every received photo and video to your phone's gallery, where it counts against Photos, not Viber.
- In Viber, go to Settings > Media & files and turn off Save to Gallery (or Auto-download media for one or more network types).
- Set auto-download to Wi-Fi only or off, so large videos don't download automatically.
This stops new duplicates from piling up in your gallery and your mobile data bill.
Back Up Before a Deep Clean
If clearing media isn't enough and you want a fresh start, back up first so you don't lose conversations.
- In Settings > Account > Viber backup, run a backup to Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone).
- Once backed up, you can clear all media or reinstall Viber and restore.
Without a backup, using Clear data or deleting the app erases local chat history permanently, so always back up first.
Keep Viber Lean Going Forward
A short routine keeps Viber from ballooning again:
- Clear the cache every few weeks if you're in busy communities.
- Use Manage storage to clear media from your heaviest chats.
- Turn off Save to Gallery and set auto-download to Wi-Fi only.
- Back up periodically so a deep clean is always safe.
Viber's tools handle the app itself, but received media often spreads into your gallery and beyond. A review-first tool like Cleanor for Android (or Clenoir for iOS) scans on-device and surfaces large videos and duplicate photos, showing everything before you confirm a deletion. For a fuller routine, see the clean up phone storage guide and the storage cleanup FAQ.
With the cache cleared and auto-save off, Viber keeps working exactly as before, just without quietly stealing gigabytes.
Want the fast version? Cleanor for iPhone scans on-device — nothing uploaded — and surfaces your largest videos, duplicate photos, and heavy caches in one pass. For the full routine, see the free up phone storage guide.
FAQ
How do I clear Viber's cached media without losing my chat history?
Open Viber, tap More, tap Settings, then tap Media & files or Storage and data depending on your version, and look for Clear cache and Manage storage. Manage storage shows which chats hold the most media so you can clear the heaviest first, while your text chat history remains intact.
Should I use Clear data on Viber from Android settings?
No. On Android, Clear cache (Settings > Apps > Viber > Storage > Clear cache) removes only temporary files and is safe, but Clear data or Clear storage resets Viber to a fresh install, signing you out and deleting local chats and media that aren't backed up.
How do I stop Viber from filling my gallery with received media?
In Viber, go to Settings > Media & files and turn off Save to Gallery, and set auto-download to Wi-Fi only or off so large videos don't download automatically. This stops new duplicates piling up in your gallery, where they count against Photos rather than Viber.