WhatsApp Backups to Start Using Google Drive Storage on Android

In a change to its long-standing policy, WhatsApp backups for Android users will now count towards available storage on Google Drive. For the past five years, WhatsApp chat history and media backups on Android did not deduct any space from a user's Google Drive storage. However, Google and WhatsApp have announced that this will change later this year.

From December 2023, WhatsApp beta users on Android will see their chat backups and media content affect their Google Drive cloud storage limits, whether they have the free 15GB plan or a paid subscription. It brings WhatsApp backup policies in line with iOS, where backup storage is always deducted from a user's iCloud storage.

The move will see Android users losing some cloud storage, as WhatsApp backups can consume significant space over time. Each personal Google account comes bundled with 15GB of free storage shared across Drive, Photos and Gmail. Heavy users may need to upgrade to a Google One subscription for additional storage.

Google states the rollout will be gradual, starting with WhatsApp beta testers in December. All Android users should see the change implemented in the first half of 2024. A notification banner will also be displayed 30 days before the policy takes effect for each user.

Those who wish to avoid using Google Drive can still back up chats to a new Android device using WhatsApp's local wireless chat transfer feature. However, cloud backups provide a more reliable method of restoring chats if a phone is lost or breaks.

The policy change brings WhatsApp data management on Android into parity with iOS but may frustrate some users with storage limits. It also pushes more people towards paid Google One storage subscriptions.