WhatsApp is now counting media backup against Google Drive storage

WhatsApp Messenger is a popular mode of communication, whether you rely on the smartphone app or the desktop version. In fact, it has single-handedly replaced a lot of other popular messaging apps and has become the touchpoint for friends and family across the world. Owing to its increasing popularity, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform, last year, announced its move to use Google Drive’s storage for media backup. But if you’re wondering what this means for you or how it affects your usage, you may want to read on.

WhatsApp media backup: What's there to know?

If you’re an Android user with WhatsApp, you probably already know how media from your conversations are being stored on Google Drive storage without taking up any additional space quota. This has proven to be especially useful, as Google has kept its storage tiers unchanged with 15GB for a good amount of time. However, in November 2023, WhatsApp announced its plan to begin counting media backup on Google Drive, meaning your photos and videos from conversations will now begin to occupy space on the popular cloud storage.

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But if this news worries you, there are means to stop your WhatsApp chats from eating up your drive’s storage space. Alternatively, you can opt for a WhatsApp Chat Transfer tool that could help you move your data to a new device when required.

How to stop WhatsApp from backing up data on Google Drive

A few simple steps can stop the automatic backing up of data onto your Google Drive. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Open WhatsApp on your Android smartphone
Step 2: Tap on the three-dot menu on the top right; locate ‘Settings’ within this menu
Step 3: In Settings, you will find a Chats and Calls option
Step 4: Once you tap on this, navigate to the option that says Backup to Google Drive
Step 5: Change this from ‘Always’ to ‘Never’ to stop your media from backing up online

With this, you should still be able to save space on your drive. However, it is advisable to have it backed up to ensure you don’t lose sight of your important files. While Google Drive gives you limited space, there is always an option to extend your plan or have a local backup planned for your media to have it accessible when need be.