By Chiwenga Onyango
Whatsapp Partners With Google To Bring Unlimited Cloud Backups Via Google Drive
In an unlikely but welcome union, WhatsApp has joined forces with Google to ensure that Google Drive backups on the cloud to become unlimited to WhatsApp users.
I’m sure at some point we’ve come across a prompt on WhatsApp to backup chats, and the prompt also asks if backups will be stored locally or on Google Drive. Emails were sent out to users who actually use cloud storage to backup their chats (I’m not one of them). The rollout will be in phases and by the 12th of November all the users will have unlimited storage.
There used to be a storage limit but going forward the storage for your backups will now be unlimited. This is a clever way of backing up your chats and it also ensures that if you switch your phone, you can seamlessly move with your chats as well, instead of starting on a blank page. If it weren’t for storage limitations on my phone I would be using this feature all the time.
Oh, this feature will be available exclusively to Android users. If you’re on iOS you’re out in the cold on this one. This is not a problem though, since WhatsApp chats on iPhone are backed up on iCloud.
Considering that Google is a rival to WhatsApp’s parent company Facebook, one would have thought Google would not give unlimited storage to WhatsApp but it seems Google are not bothered at all.
Backing up chats on Google Drive
If you’re interested in backing op your chats on the cloud:
1.Open WhatsApp.
2.Tap Menu > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
3.Tap Back up to Google Drive and select a backup frequency other than Never.
4.Select a Google account that you’ll back up your chat history to. If you don’t have a Google account, tap Add account when prompted and enter your login credentials. Please remember the Google account you’re using for the backup.
5.Tap Back up over to choose the network you wish to use for backup. Please note that backing up over a cellular data network might result in additional data charges.
