WhatsApp for Android is rolling out a new feature for users who have been wanting to back up their chat history, photos, video and other content but didn't know how and where to do so.
WhatsApp has just integrated its messaging system with Google Drive in order to allow users to quickly and safely back up their messaging data and content across their Android devices. Users should be able to see if the feature is already available by checking their WhatsApp settings. According to WhatsApp, the feature will roll out in the next couple of months.
The WhatsApp and Google partnership seems to be a timely and smart move for the latter since there are now 900 million monthly active users on the Facebook-owned messaging platform, the majority of which are using the app on their Android devices.
"Whether it's recounting a story, watching a video or enjoying photos with family and friends, our memories help us reconnect with what's really important. And every month, nearly a billion people use WhatsApp to do just that. Starting today, WhatsApp for Android lets you create a private backup of your chat history, voice messages, photos, and videos in Google Drive. And once you do, you can restore everything on a new device with just a couple taps," wrote Scott Johnston, director of product management at Google Drive, in a blog post.
Users who would like to use the backup integration feature can also choose whether they want to have it done daily, weekly or even monthly. They can also opt to exclude backing up their video content if they believe that it's far too much that their cloud storage can handle.
Users who are concerned if Google is collecting their data through the integration should not worry a bit since the company has assured that they don't use Drive-stored user data for the purpose of sending personalized ads. Moreover, messages that are sent through WhatsApp are encrypted and inaccessible to Google.
"Google Drive was an easy choice. It offers the native Android experience we want for our users and the scale to grow with us," said Brian Acton, WhatsApp co-founder.
Google noted that users can start keeping an eye on their WhatsApp settings to know if the feature is already accessible in their Android devices. For those who have questions about the update, they can also visit Google Drive's Help Center.
