Skip to main content

You can now back up all your WhatsApp messages onto Google Drive

As more data becomes tied to the mobile device you own, manufacturers and app developers need to add new secure storage solutions to make sure that information isn’t lost if you lose, replace, or destroy your phone. WhatsApp is adding a solution for its users on Android, offering the ability to backup all data on Google Drive.

Chat histories, voice messages, photos, and videos will all be saved on Google Drive. WhatsApp users can choose a backup frequency: daily, weekly, monthly, or never. Users also have the ability to remove videos from the backup, to save more space for other content.

whatsapp-google-drive-backup
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Other settings include the ability to turn off upload through cellular data, and the ability to force upload all data for backups, which may take a bit longer. Users will be able to restore backups from the WhatsApp app, and if it cannot find any local backups it will search the Google Drive database. The speed of the restoration varies depending on how much data needs to be restored. Some early reports suggest the app struggles to restore chat logs, claiming the version is corrupt, but media appears to work fine.

Recommended Videos

Every Google Drive user receives 15GB free when they start using the cloud storage service. Some Android device purchases come with 100GB extra storage for two to three years. Prices are extremely cheap for extra storage, starting at 100GB for $2 a month; 1TB for $10 per month; and the highest, 30TB for $300 per month — if you’re really into cloud storage.

The rollout of Google Drive on WhatsApp will be slow going, with a gradual rollout planned over the next few months. It is not clear if this feature can be enabled on iOS, as neither WhatsApp or Google made any mention of the feature coming to Apple’s mobile platform.

David Curry
Former Contributor
David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…
Your Google Maps app is about to look different. Here’s what’s changing
Screenshot of the new teal color in the Google Maps app.

If you own an Android device such as a Samsung Galaxy S24 or Google Pixel 9 Pro, there is a small design update coming to the Google Maps app that aims to enhance its visual appearance and user experience. The app will be adopting a new interface color scheme, which could make navigation and interaction feel fresher.

As first reported by 9to5Google, Google Maps is set to change its signature blue accent for buttons and other user interface elements to a dark shade of teal.

Read more
WhatsApp will soon save you from the horrors of missed texts
Reminders feature in WhatsApp.

Just over a month ago, WhatsApp introduced a new feature that would occasionally nudge users about status story updates from their contacts list. Now, the company has made a subtle change to it and added messages into the fold, as well.

The feature, which is currently rolling out in the test channel with the v2.24.25.29 build on Android, was first spotted by update tracker WABetaInfo. DigitalTrends can confirm that the feature is now live in the latest beta version available via the Google Play Store.

Read more
Your Google Photos app is about to look different. Here’s what’s changing
The Google Photos app on the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

Google is implementing a small yet significant change to its popular Google Photos app. As first noted by 9to5Google, the app's "Memories" tab is being removed. Memories is an auto-organizing, scrapbook-like feature that utilizes artificial intelligence to create an AI-powered feed.

Since its release, the Memories tab has been in the bottom bar of the Google Photos app. The Memories tab is being replaced by Moments, which will reside inside the app's Collections tab. This is where you can find People & pets, Albums, Documents, and Places.

Read more