WhatsApp users on Android are facing a notable change: their app backups will now occupy space within Google Drive. Announced last month, this alteration doesn’t specify its implementation date, but the beta version of the app is gradually introducing this change. This includes chat history, sent media files, and other content, affecting both free and paid Google Drive plans.
Rollout and Notifications
Scheduled for the first half of the year, this transition will affect all WhatsApp users on the Android platform. Notifications will be issued, providing a 30-day lead time through a banner in the chat backup settings.
Managing Storage Impact
To mitigate the impact on Google Drive storage, users have alternative options available, notes NIX Solutions. One approach is direct data transfer between devices without creating backups, while another is choosing to back up solely text, significantly reducing disk space consumption.
Conversely, WhatsApp’s counterpart on iOS has consistently relied on iCloud storage for its backups.