WhatsApp, a messenger platform owned by Meta, is set to implement significant changes regarding chat and media backup. Currently, users can back up their chats, music, videos, and images to Google Drive on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This convenient feature aids users in seamlessly transferring their WhatsApp data when switching between phones, requiring only a Google account logged in on both devices, and it doesn’t consume space on Google Drive.
However, according to a recent report from Google, there’s a crucial update on the horizon. WhatsApp backups on Android will soon count towards your Google Account cloud storage limit, just like on other mobile platforms. This change has already begun for WhatsApp Beta users since December 2023 and will gradually extend to all WhatsApp users on Android in 2024.
This shift means that your WhatsApp chat backup will occupy space in your 15GB free Google storage. Once this limit is reached, you won’t be able to back up your data unless you subscribe to additional Google One storage.
WhatsApp Beta users have received notifications about this change since December 2023, while other users can expect these notifications in 2024. Users will be informed 30 days in advance with a message saying, “Backups will start using your Google storage in the next few months.“
If you prefer not to store your WhatsApp chat on Google storage, there’s a solution. When changing phones, simply transfer your data to the new device. It’s essential to note that only Android users will be affected by this change, as Apple does not offer free data storage on their devices. iOS users have a 5GB limit, much lower than Google’s 15GB offering. Stay informed and manage your WhatsApp data accordingly to avoid any inconvenience.