WhatsApp, a social media platform owned by Meta, is discontinuing the complimentary Google Drive storage space previously provided to Android users for storing their chat history, along with images and videos. Under the new updates, WhatsApp data stored on Google Drive will now contribute to the 15GB storage limit, prompting users to either manage their storage within this limit or consider opting for a Google One subscription.

In a November post, Google issued a noteworthy update, stating “As an important heads up, 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. This change will first start rolling out to WhatsApp Beta users starting in December 2023, then gradually to all WhatsApp users on Android starting early next year.”

WhatsApp has communicated that the upcoming changes will be implemented for all users in 2024, and the company plans to provide a 30-day advance notification to users. This notification will be displayed as a banner in the WhatsApp Settings under Chats > Chat backup.

The current WhatsApp Beta app version is already displaying a message, stating, “Backups will start using your Google storage in the next few months.”

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For WhatsApp users surpassing the 15GB storage limit, the primary option might be subscribing to Google One. However, for those who prefer not to store WhatsApp chats on their Google account, an alternative is available through the WhatsApp chat transfer feature when transitioning to a new Android device. This allows users to move their files between Android devices without relying on Google Drive storage.

It’s important to highlight that these modifications will exclusively impact Android users, as WhatsApp does not provide complimentary storage on iOS. Additionally, Apple allocates only 5GB of free storage to non-paying users, in contrast to the more extensive 15GB offered by Google.

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