WhatsApp backups on Google Drive will soon count towards storage. The update will be made available to WhatsApp beta users in December. If you back up your WhatsApp conversations to Drive on Android, you should check your Google account storage position.
WhatsApp backups on Google Drive will soon count towards storage
In 2018, WhatsApp and Google revealed that your WhatsApp chat history could be saved to Drive without counting against your storage allowance. If you’re a WhatsApp beta user, storing up the messaging app to Drive will contribute to your Google account cloud storage capacity beginning in December 2023.
If you don’t use the app’s beta version, you won’t notice the policy change until next year, when it “gradually” rolls out to all Android devices.
Personal Google accounts have 15GB of free cloud storage that may be used across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. Google stated in its release that this is “three times more than most mobile platforms.” Apple’s iCloud, for example, only provides 5GB of free storage space. Still, depending on how many photographs and data you’ve backed up and uploaded, it’s extremely feasible (and perhaps even easy) to exceed 15GB.
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Google has included a link to its storage management tools in its article, making it easy to delete huge files or photos that you no longer require. You can also delete items from WhatsApp so that they are not included in your future backup. Of course, you can also buy extra storage with Google One, which will cost you at least $2 per month for 100GB.
However, the company promises to offer “limited, one-time Google One promotions” to qualified consumers soon, so it may be advisable to wait for those before purchasing a membership.
Please keep in mind that this change will only affect you if you use your personal account to back up your chat history. You don’t have to worry about WhatsApp consuming a large portion of your cloud storage space if you have a Workspace account through your employer or another organisation.
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