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.
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## WhatsApp Backups: What You Need To Know
**Interviewer:** Welcome to the show. Today we’re talking about a change that’s impacting many Android users: WhatsApp backups are now using Google Drive storage. Joining us to discuss this is tech expert, [Guest Name]. Thanks for being here.
**Guest:** Thanks for having me.
**Interviewer:** So, for our viewers who may not be familiar, can you explain what this means in simple terms?
**Guest:** Basically, until now, backups of your WhatsApp chats, photos, and videos didn’t count towards your 15GB of free Google Drive storage. However, as announced by Meta in November 2023 [[1](https://faq.whatsapp.com/1144861179456352)], these backups will start using up your Google Drive space from the beginning of 2024.
**Interviewer:** And why is this change happening?
**Guest:** While Meta hasn’t explicitly stated their reasoning, it’s likely due to the increasing amount of data people store on WhatsApp. Photos and videos, especially, can quickly eat up storage space.
**Interviewer:** So, what should Android users who rely on WhatsApp do in light of this change?
**Guest:** There are a few options. Firstly, you can manually manage your backup settings in WhatsApp and choose to exclude media from the backup. This saves storage but means you’ll lose those photos and videos if you need to restore your chats.
Secondly, you could subscribe to a Google One plan for more storage.
some users might choose to explore alternative backup options outside of Google Drive altogether.
**Interviewer:** Any advice for people who are overwhelmed by the thought of managing all this data?
**Guest:** Don’t panic! Take a look at your current WhatsApp usage and see how much storage your backups are taking up. From there, you can decide on the best course of action based on your needs and budget.
**Interviewer:** Thanks for shedding light on this important topic, [Guest Name]. This is definitely something all Android WhatsApp users should be aware of.
**Guest:** Thanks for having me.
