• WhatsApp stops free Google Drive storage for Android backups.
• Rollout: Beta users Dec 2023, all Android users 2024.
• Choose: Google One subscription or 15GB limit for WhatsApp data on Drive.

WhatsApp, owned by Meta, revealed significant modifications to its chat backup system for Android users. The popular messaging platform will discontinue providing free Google Drive storage space for chat history, including photos and videos. Users will now be faced with a choice between subscribing to Google One or having their WhatsApp data count against the 15GB storage limit of their Google Drive.

Google, in a post shared in November, provided a heads-up about the upcoming changes. It stated, “WhatsApp backups on Android will soon start counting toward your Google Account cloud storage limit, similar to how WhatsApp backups are handled on other mobile platforms.” The rollout of this change commenced with WhatsApp Beta users in December 2023 and is expected to extend to all WhatsApp users on Android early in the following year.

As part of the transition, WhatsApp plans to inform users 30 days in advance through a banner under WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup. Users of the WhatsApp Beta app have already started receiving messages notifying them that “Backups will start using your Google storage in the next few months.”

While acquiring a Google One subscription remains the apparent solution for users exceeding the 15GB restriction, WhatsApp continues to offer the option for users to transfer their data between Android devices. This shift marks a departure from the longstanding practice of providing complimentary Google Drive storage for WhatsApp backups on Android, urging users to consider alternative storage solutions or opt for a subscription to maintain seamless data backups.

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