WhatsApp has announced a change in its backup policy for Android users. Previously, Android users could store backup copies of their chats, including images and videos, on Google Drive for free without it counting towards their storage limit. However, starting in December, the size of WhatsApp backups will be taken into account, regardless of the data plan. This change will first affect beta users and will eventually apply to all WhatsApp users by mid-2024. Users will receive a 30-day notification before the changes affect them personally.
For those who don’t want to use a Google account for backup, WhatsApp offers the Chat Transfer feature, which allows users to transfer their chat history to a new smartphone using Wi-Fi without requiring an internet connection.
Google has clarified that there won’t be any major changes to the WhatsApp backup, except for a possible storage limit. This means that the size of WhatsApp chat backups may reduce the available space on Google Drive. When data is deleted in WhatsApp, it will also be automatically removed from the cloud backup, freeing up space on Google Drive.
To accommodate the increased storage needs, Google suggests using their Google One subscriptions. They have also promised one-time promotions for a limited number of eligible users.
It’s worth noting that similar conditions have always been in place for WhatsApp users on iOS, with Apple offering only 5 GB of free cloud storage.