Backup WhatsApp: All you need to know
WhatsApp and Google have struck up an agreement that means your WhatsApp backups will soon no longer eat into your precious Google Drive storage quota. However, to avoid losing your old messages, you need to backup WhatsApp before November 12.
Google has started sending out an email explaining that any of your existing WhatsApp backups that haven’t been updated in more than a year will automatically be deleted unless you perform a manual backup before the aforementioned date.
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WhatsApp Backup: Free storage vs privacy
While the agreement is great news for anyone who’s running low on Google Drive storage (and reluctant to pay for more than the 15GB free allowance), it’s less useful for anyone who values privacy above everything else.
As WhatsApp explains: “Media and messages you back up are not protected by WhatsApp end-to-end encryption while in Google Drive.”
Google, meanwhile, has started telling users:“Due to a new agreement between WhatsApp and Google, WhatsApp backups will no longer count against Google Drive storage quota. However, any WhatsApp backups that have not been updated in more than a year will automatically be removed from storage.
“This policy will go into effect for all users on November 12, 2018 though some users may see the quota benefits earlier. To avoid the loss of any backups, we recommend that people manually back up WhatsApp before November 12, 2018.”
As well as preserving some old memories, backing up your messages and media to Google Drive means you’ll be able to easily restore them when you switch to a different phone.
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How to backup WhatsApp now
Here’s what you need to do to avoid losing your old WhatsApp messages and media.
- In WhatsApp, tap the main menu button and select Settings
- Hit Chats and Chat Backup
- Tap the green Back Up button
It’s that easy.
Is free storage worth sacrificing your privacy for? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter@TrustedReviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
