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 much Google Drive storage space do WhatsApp backups use?
## WhatsApp Backups Now Count Towards Google Drive Storage: What You Need to Know
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re discussing a recent change impacting WhatsApp users on Android. Joining us is tech expert Sarah Jones to shed light on this topic. Sarah, thanks for being here.
**Sarah Jones:** Thanks for having me.
**Interviewer:** So, Sarah, can you explain what’s changed regarding WhatsApp backups and Google Drive storage?
**Sarah Jones:** Sure, there’s been a shift in how WhatsApp backups are handled on Google Drive. Previously, these backups weren’t counted towards your 15 GB free Google storage limit [[1](https://faq.whatsapp.com/407643231403807)]. However, as Meta announced in November 2023, that’s changing. Starting this year, your WhatsApp backups will now use up your Google Drive storage space.
**Interviewer:** So that means people who heavily rely on WhatsApp for photo and video sharing could quickly hit their storage limit?
**Sarah Jones:** Exactly. If you frequently send and receive large media files on WhatsApp, you might want to reconsider backing up everything to Google Drive.
**Interviewer:** What are some alternatives for users concerned about storage space?
**Sarah Jones:** There are a few options. You could manually select which chats and media to backup, prioritizing the most important conversations and files. Another option is to explore alternative cloud storage solutions or use your phone’s internal storage for backups.
**Interviewer:** Are there any other important points WhatsApp users should be aware of?
**Sarah Jones:** Aside from storage, it’s important to remember that WhatsApp backups haven’t been updated in over five months might be automatically deleted by Google.
**Interviewer:** Excellent advice, Sarah.
Thank you for breaking down this important information for our viewers. We appreciate your insights.
