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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What can users do to prepare for WhatsApp backups taking up space on Google Drive?
## WhatsApp Backup Changes: Are You Ready?
**Host:** Joining us today is tech expert, Sarah Jones, to discuss some important changes coming to WhatsApp backups. Sarah, thanks for being here.
**Sarah:** Thanks for having me.
**Host:** So, we’ve heard that WhatsApp backups are going to start affecting our Google Drive storage. Can you explain what that means for users?
**Sarah:** That’s right. Until recently, WhatsApp backups weren’t counted against your Google Drive storage limit. It basically had its own free space. However, Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, announced back in November 2023 [[1](https://faq.whatsapp.com/481135090640375)]that this would be changing. Starting from January 2024, your WhatsApp backups will take up space in your 15 GB free Google Drive allocation, just like your photos, documents, and other files.
**Host:** Wow, that’s significant! What should users be doing to prepare?
**Sarah:** If you have a large amount of photos and videos in your WhatsApp chats, it’s a good idea to review your backup settings. You might want to consider excluding media from your backups if you’re worried about running out of space. You can still manually back up important chats and media separately.
**Host:** That makes sense. Are there any other tips you would give Android users?
**Sarah:** Definitely. Keep an eye on your Google Drive usage and consider upgrading to a larger storage plan if needed. There are also other cloud storage options available if you don’t want to rely solely on Google Drive.
**Host:** Great advice, Sarah.ী
