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WhatsApp has made a change to its rules for Android users—backing up your chats on Google Drive will no longer be free. Starting soon, these backups will eat into your Google account storage, and it's not just a trial; it's for everyone.
Even if you're using the WhatsApp beta version, you're already facing this new policy. For regular users, it will kick in over the next few months. This move mirrors what WhatsApp has been doing for iOS users, limiting their chat backups to the free storage available on iCloud, which is a mere 5 GB.
Google generously offers 15 GB of free cloud storage for each account. But beware, this storage is spread thin across services like Gmail and Google Photos. If you're on Android and using WhatsApp, you might soon find it necessary to subscribe to Google One to keep your chat history and media files safe.
Google is actively promoting its Google One Cloud service. Previously, the company stopped giving unlimited free storage on Google Photos, making many users turn to Google One to keep their pictures and videos secure.
Wondering how to still back up your WhatsApp chats on Google Drive without shelling out money?
If you have enough free space within the 15 GB limit on Google Drive, you're in luck—continue your WhatsApp chat backups for free. Another tip is to clear out unnecessary content from WhatsApp to shrink the file size before uploading.
Furthermore, WhatsApp lets you back up only text messages, excluding media like photos and videos, which significantly reduces the backup size. And don't forget, WhatsApp allows direct chat transfer between phones without relying on cloud backup—an excellent option for frequent phone switchers.
Finally, if you want an affordable solution, consider the basic Google One cloud service, priced at Rs 130 per month or Rs 1300 annually, offering 100 GB of storage (including the 15 GB) and additional Google Photos features, among other perks.
