Google might stop providing unlimited WhatsApp backup storage on Drive: Report

Currently, Android users can backup their chat and media files on Google Drive without any restrictions. However, a new report suggests that Google might stop providing unlimited backup storage to WhatsApp users on Android, limiting the free storage and setting up a quota. Keep reading to know more about the WhatsApp Google Drive backup update and everything that is known about it at the moment. 

According to a report published on January 29, 2022, by WAbetaInfo, Google might end the unlimited storage it provides to WhatsApp users for storing their backup. The WhatsApp update tracker informs that it discovered a new feature under development that allows users to manage their WhatsApp chats while uploading on Google Drive to reduce the size of the backup. Ideally, this should not happen as WhatsApp backups do not count against the storage quota provided by Google Drive. However, the existence of such a feature indicates that Google is planning to end the unlimited storage it provides to WhatsApp users. 

WhatsApp users on Android might run out of storage for backups

The publication has also shared a screenshot that seems to show the code behind the backup management feature that WhatsApp might launch in future. The screenshot provides evidence of changes that will be introduced in WhatsApp. These changes will notify users when their Google Drive storage quota is out when the backup storage limit is reached and when the changes will take place. All the evidence point out that Google is going to limit the unlimited storage it offers to WhatsApp users to store their backup. Although, there will still be a backup storage limit which will be free for users. In simple words, WhatsApp users might have to choose the chats or media files they wish to backup and let go of others, as and when Google stops providing unlimited storage to Android users for backing up their chats. 

The Limited Google Drive Plan for WhatsApp is currently is works and users can still upload their chats and media files without the need of selecting them. It is known that Google only offers 15GB of free space to non-paying G Suite users. Apart from this, the space occupied by WhatsApp users for their backup was being offered as a bonus. As of now, there is no tentative date or timeline of when the limitation will be in place, but now that the information is out, WhatsApp users on Android should start making up their minds and prepare for limited WhatsApp backups on Google Drive. Additionally, whether or not Google will charge WhatsApp users for providing unlimited storage is not known yet.