If you use WhatsApp on an Android smartphone and get a lot of photos and videos on the messaging account, it’s better not to save them in the backup data anymore.
This is because now WhatsApp backup data will use up your Google storage space.
The Android Police report stated that until now there was no Google Drive storage limit for WhatsApp backup data.
According to the report, until now WhatsApp data was not counted in the 15 GB storage of the Google account, but in November 2023, Meta announced that from the beginning of 2024, the WhatsApp backup will be counted in the Google storage. .
Now it’s time and WhatsApp backup data of users is using Google storage. To know about this, go to the Google account storage and click on the Other section, where a new addition called WhatsApp will appear.
Clicking on the arrow next to WhatsApp data there will open WhatsApp’s Manage Storage page, where you can see which chats and files are taking up space in Google Storage.
You can reduce your WhatsApp chat backup storage space by deleting large media files. According to the report, this change has been made for a few people and gradually all users’ backup data will become part of Google Storage.
Interestingly, WhatsApp had said in November that users would be notified about the change 30 days in advance, but the accounts that got the change did not receive any notification.
It should be noted that Google accounts come with 15 GB of free cloud storage which is used for Gmail, Drive and Photos etc. Backup of WhatsApp data is helpful when you change your phone and is easy to access through Google Drive.
Given the popularity of WhatsApp, it can be assumed that most users will have several GB of backup data, which can be a problem for those who are already running out of Google storage.
When Google’s free storage capacity for WhatsApp data is exhausted, then users will be directed to opt for Google One (1) subscription plan.
Google has also made a similar change for its popular app Photos, which previously offered free unlimited storage to users, but later limited it to 15 GB of storage.
#WhatsApp #users #missing #great #convenience
How can WhatsApp users free up Google Drive space taken up by WhatsApp backups?
## WhatsApp Backups Eating Up Your Google Drive Space?
**Interviewer:** Joining us today is tech expert Sarah Lee to discuss the recent change in WhatsApp backup policies. Sarah, can you tell us what’s happening?
**Sarah Lee:** Absolutely. As of early 2024, WhatsApp backups on Android devices will now count towards your Google Drive storage quota [[1](https://www.androidpolice.com/whatsapp-backups-count-against-drive-storage-quota/)]. This is a significant change because previously, WhatsApp backups were essentially free and didn’t eat into your 15GB of free Google storage.
**Interviewer:** So, what does this mean for WhatsApp users who rely on backups?
**Sarah Lee:** It means they need to be more mindful of their storage. If you’re someone who frequently sends and receives photos and videos on WhatsApp, your backups could quickly fill up your Drive space.
**Interviewer:** What would you recomend to those users?
**Sarah Lee:** I would suggest considering alternative backup solutions or being more selective about what you include in your WhatsApp backups. Perhaps manually backing up important conversations or media to your device’s internal storage, or using a third-party cloud storage service.
**Interviewer:** What about users who don’t have much storage left on their Google Drive?
**Sarah Lee:** For them, this change could be problematic. They might need to purchase additional Google Drive storage or start deleting files to free up space. It’s definitely a situation that requires attention and planning.
**Interviewer:**Thank you so much for clarifying this for our viewers, Sarah.