Are you a WhatsApp user who backs up your chat history to Google Drive? If so, it’s time to check your Google account storage situation. In 2018, WhatsApp and Google teamed up to allow users to save chat history to Drive without it counting towards storage limits. However, starting in December 2023, this will change for WhatsApp beta users, with the policy gradually rolling out to all Android devices next year.
Personal Google accounts offer 15GB of free cloud storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. While Google touts this as “three times more than most mobile platforms,” it’s still possible to exceed 15GB with photos and files. Fortunately, Google offers storage management tools to help users remove large files and photos they no longer need. Additionally, WhatsApp users can delete items within the app to prevent them from being included in the next backup.
For those needing extra storage, Google One offers 100GB for as little as $2 a month, with limited promotions available to eligible users. It’s important to note that this change only impacts personal account backups. Users with Workspace accounts through their job or organization are not affected.
Stay informed and manage your Google account storage to ensure that your WhatsApp chat history remains safe and secure.
