- WhatsApp will start counting chat backups against the Google Account storage limit.
- This change will come into effect from December 2023.
- From December, WhatsApp beta users will see a banner on the Chat Backup page with a warning about the change.
WhatsApp, the popular messaging application will soon start counting backups against the Google Account storage limit. Both Google and WhatsApp have officially confirmed the same and this change will come into effect from December 2023. This means that come next month, you must make sure that your Google Account has enough storage available for WhatsApp chat backups.
WhatsApp backups against Google account storage
- From December 2023, WhatsApp backups will be counted against Google Account storage.
- This change is an Android-only thing since backups on WhatsApp for Android point towards your Google Account. This is considering WhatsApp chats on the iOS platform are backed up on iCloud.
- In December, WhatsApp beta users will see a banner on the Chat Backup page with a warning about the change.
- This change will slowly roll out to the rest of the Android users who are not on beta builds throughout the first half of 2024.
It should be clarified that nothing about backups is changing as you can still continue to back up WhatsApp chats to Google storage just that you need to have enough storage room left to keep the files. But when you run out of the default 15GB free storage, you can always upgrade/subscribe to the Google One storage plan.
Earlier today, WhatsApp announced that group voice chats will be rolling out to Android and iOS platforms. This feature is for group chats to make voice calls without disturbing everyone. This is a quiet way to start voice calls, and with anyone who wants to join the same. Since the update has just started rolling out, it might be a while before it reaches everyone. In case you have received the update, you can check it here.
Firstly, open WhatsApp and head to a group chat. There will be a new wave icon right next to the group chat name. You need to tap on it to start a voice chat and a voice chat interface will be visible on top of the group chat. Members of the group can join in and drop out of the call at any point in time. This feature was earlier available for personal voice chats and is now available to groups as well.
