WhatsApp has recently announced a significant change in conversation backup management for Android users. Starting in December, WhatsApp chat backup will be subject to Google account space limitations of the device owner. This change means that users will have to keep an eye on the available space on their Google accounts to ensure that backups of WhatsApp chats can be done without any problems.
Upcoming changes for WhatsApp backup to Google account
To avoid problems with backups, users are encouraged to Check the available storage space on your Google account regularly. If necessary, they can free up space to make room for new backups. The process for managing space includes going to the Google storage page and looking for the option to free up space. This allows users to view and remove files that are no longer needed.
Furthermore, WhatsApp offers the possibility of manage your storage space directly from the app. By accessing the “Storage and data” in WhatsApp settings, users can scan and delete non-essential items to free up space.
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WhatsApp has committed to informing users of this change via a notice in the "Backup chat” of the app (specifically Settings > Chats > Chat Backup). This feature will be rolled out gradually, starting with beta users of the app in December this year, and then rolling out to the entire Android community in the first half of 2024.
Google, for its part, confirmed these changes through a community post, highlighting that users will have the option to expand the standard storage space of 15 GB through the Google One service. Workspace accounts linked to WhatsApp backup will not be affected by these changes.
If you don't want to back up chats to your Google account, you can still transfer your chats between Android devices using “Chat transfer” by da , here.