WhatsApp and Google have announced a significant alteration in the backup policy for Android users. After a rollout of changes in December, chat history, photos, and videos backed up on Google Drive will count against the free 15 GB storage provided by Google.
This change will prompt Google to advise users to clear unnecessary files or WhatsApp media when their storage is running low. Users can also choose to increase their cloud storage through Google One.
This update will first undergo testing with beta users in December before being introduced to Android users in the initial half of 2024. Notifications regarding this change will appear as a banner under Settings > Chat > Chat Backup, alerting users 30 days prior.
For those who prefer not to use their Google account for backup, WhatsApp will offer the option to transfer chats when transitioning to a new Android device. It’s worth noting that since 2018, Android users have been storing WhatsApp backups on Google Drive without any storage limits.
