How to Add Images Directly to WhatsApp in Android?

Last Updated : 28 Apr, 2025

An image is a UI widget used to show images or upload images in an Android app. It is the sub-class of the View class. We can use it to add many images, like Bitmaps, and Drawable files. To use it a person can add ImageView to their XML files. Passing its id to the resource file. A sample video is given below to get an idea about what we are going to do in this article.

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Create a New Project in Android Studio

To create a new project in Android Studio please refer to How to Create/Start a New Project in Android Studio. Note that select Java as the programming language.

Step 2: Working with the activity_main.xml file

Navigate to the app > res > layout > activity_main.xml and add the below code to that file. Below is the code for the activity_main.xml file. Comments are added inside the code to understand the code in more detail.

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:gravity="center_horizontal"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".MainActivity">

     <ImageView
         android:layout_width="300dp"
         android:layout_marginTop="100dp"
         android:layout_height="400dp"
         android:scaleType="fitXY"
         android:id="@+id/imgCamera"/>

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/btnCamera"
        android:layout_marginTop="21dp"
        android:backgroundTint="#328736"
        android:text="Open Camera"/>

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/btnGallery"
        android:backgroundTint="#328736"
        android:layout_marginTop="21dp"
        android:text="Open Gallery"/>

</LinearLayout>

Step 3: Working with the MainActivity.java file

Go to the MainActivity.java file and refer to the following code. Below is the code for the MainActivity.java file. Comments are added inside the code to understand the code in more detail.

Java

package com.shruti.cameraexample;

import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.graphics.Bitmap;
import android.graphics.drawable.BitmapDrawable;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.provider.MediaStore;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.ImageView;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
  
    private final int CAMERA_REQ_CODE = 100;
    private final int GALLERY_REQ_CODE = 1000;
    ImageView imgCamera;
  
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        imgCamera=findViewById(R.id.imgCamera);
        Button btnCamera =  findViewById(R.id.btnCamera);
        Button btnGallery = findViewById(R.id.btnGallery);

        btnGallery.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                Intent iGallery = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_PICK);
                iGallery.setData(MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI);
                startActivityForResult(iGallery,GALLERY_REQ_CODE);
            }
        });

        btnCamera.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                Intent iCamera = new Intent(MediaStore.ACTION_IMAGE_CAPTURE);
                startActivityForResult(iCamera,CAMERA_REQ_CODE);
            }
        });
    }

    @Override
    protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, @Nullable Intent data) {
        super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
        if(resultCode==RESULT_OK){
            if(requestCode==GALLERY_REQ_CODE){
                // gallery
                imgCamera.setImageURI(data.getData());
            } else if (requestCode==CAMERA_REQ_CODE) {

                Bitmap img = (Bitmap)(data.getExtras().get("data"));
                imgCamera.setImageBitmap(img);
            }
        }
        imgCamera.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {
                BitmapDrawable bitmapDrawable = (BitmapDrawable) imgCamera.getDrawable();
                Bitmap bitmap = bitmapDrawable.getBitmap();
                String bitmpath = MediaStore.Images.Media.insertImage(getContentResolver(),bitmap,"upload",null);

                Uri uri = Uri.parse(bitmpath);
                Intent shareIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
                shareIntent.setType("image/png");
                shareIntent.setPackage("com.whatsapp");
                shareIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_STREAM,uri);
                startActivity(Intent.createChooser(shareIntent,"Share Using"));
            }
        });

    }
}

Step 4:

In your Manifest file add these permissions.

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>