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
What are some ways to prevent a WAtsApp backup from using up all my Google Drive storage?
## Is Your WhatsApp Backup Eating Up Your Google Storage?
**[INTRO MUSIC]**
**HOST:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re talking about a change that could affect millions of WhatsApp users. Joining us is tech expert, Sarah Jones, to break down what’s going on. Sarah, thanks for being here.
**SARAH JONES:** Thanks for having me!
**HOST:** So, the short story is, WhatsApp backups are about to get a lot “heavier” on our Google Drives. Can you explain?
**SARAH JONES:** Absolutely. For a long time, WhatsApp backups on Android phones weren’t counting against your Google Drive storage. But that’s changing. As [Android Police reported](https://www.androidpolice.com/find-whatsapp-backups-google-drive/), Meta announced last November that starting in 2024, WhatsApp backups will count towards your 15 GB of free Google Drive storage.
**HOST:** So, what does this mean for people who receive a lot of photos and videos through WhatsApp?
**SARAH JONES:** It means those backups could get pretty large and quickly fill up your Google storage space.
**HOST:** Are there any workarounds for users who want to keep their chat history safe but avoid using up all their Google Drive space?
**SARAH JONES:** There are a few options. One is to be more selective about what you back up. You can choose to exclude photos and videos from your backups through WhatsApp’s settings. Another option is to regularly download and delete old backups to free up space. you can always consider upgrading to a paid Google One plan for more storage.
**HOST:** That’s good advice. For many people, WhatsApp is a primary way to communicate, so keeping those chats safe is important.
**SARAH JONES:** Absolutely!
**HOST:** Thanks for sharing this with us, Sarah. This is definitely something our listeners should be aware of.
**[OUTRO MUSIC]**
