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 are some recommended solutions for managing WhatsApp backups after the storage policy change?
## WhatsApp Backups: Filling Up Your Google Drive?
**Interviewer:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re talking about a change that might affect how millions of Android users manage their WhatsApp data. Joining us is tech expert Alex Reed, who’s here to break down the details.
Alex Reed, thanks for being here. Can you tell our viewers what’s going on with WhatsApp backups?
**Alex Reed:** Thanks for having me. Basically, Google and Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, have changed the way WhatsApp backups are handled on Android devices. Before, WhatsApp backups didn’t count towards your Google Drive storage limit, which is 15GB for most users.
[[1](https://www.androidauthority.com/how-to-backup-whatsapp-1099749/)]
**Interviewer:** So, what does this mean for people who have lots of photos and videos on WhatsApp?
**Alex Reed:** That’s the catch. Those backups can be quite large, especially with all the media we share these days. Now, those backups will start eating into your Google Drive storage. This is starting to happen for people right now, as Meta announced the change in November 2023 and it’s now December 2024.
**Interviewer:** That’s a lot of potential data to be taking up space. Any advice for our viewers on how to handle this?
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely! First, consider if you really need to back up all those photos and videos. Maybe there are ways to manage them locally on your phone or in a separate cloud service.
Secondly, check your Google Drive storage and see how much space you have left. Google offers options for purchasing more storage if needed.
keep an eye out for any updates from WhatsApp itself. They may offer new features or tools to help manage backup data more efficiently.
**Interviewer:** Excellent advice! Thanks for shedding light on this important change, Alex Reed.
