Many smartphone users rely on apps like WhatsApp to share videos and photos with friends and family. With storage space on phones limited, cloud storage services like Google Photos provide a convenient way to back up those memories online. This raises the question – can Google Photos automatically save the videos you receive on WhatsApp?
The short answer is yes, Google Photos can back up your WhatsApp videos, but the process requires a few steps to set up properly. In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about saving WhatsApp videos to Google Photos.
Does Google Photos Automatically Save WhatsApp Videos?
Unfortunately, Google Photos does not automatically save the videos you receive or capture on WhatsApp. By default, Google Photos will only back up the photos and videos saved directly to your phone’s camera roll. So anything you capture or view directly within the WhatsApp app will not be included in your Google Photos backup.
This is because WhatsApp stores all of its media in a folder that is separate from your main camera roll. So extra steps are required to get those WhatsApp videos into Google Photos.
WhatsApp Media Storage
On Android phones, WhatsApp stores your media in an internal folder called WhatsApp Images or WhatsApp Video. The full file path is something like:
Internal Storage > Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp Images/Video
On iPhones, it is similar, with a WhatsApp folder in your phone’s internal storage.
So since this folder is separate from your camera roll, Google Photos doesn’t know to look there for new videos to back up.
How to Save WhatsApp Videos to Google Photos
While Google Photos won’t automatically pull in your WhatsApp media, you can manually save WhatsApp videos to your camera roll, allowing Google Photos to back them up. Here are two ways to do it:
Method 1: Export WhatsApp Videos to Camera Roll
The easiest way is directly within WhatsApp:
1. Open the WhatsApp app and go to the chat with the video you want to save.
2. Tap and hold the video thumbnail to select it.
3. Tap the forward arrow at the top right.
4. Choose Export from the menu.
5. Select Camera Roll (or Saved Photos on iPhone).
This saves the video to your main camera roll folder, where Google Photos will find it and back up like any other video.
Method 2: Use a File Manager App
You can also use a third-party file manager app to copy WhatsApp videos over to your camera roll:
1. Download a file manager app like File Manager on Android or Documents on iPhone.
2. Navigate to the WhatsApp Video folder using the app.
3. Long press the video you want to save and select Copy.
4. Open your Camera Roll folder.
5. Long press and select Paste to copy the video there.
Again, once the video is in your camera roll, Google Photos will save a backup copy to the cloud.
How to Auto-Save New WhatsApp Videos
While the manual methods work for saving individual WhatsApp videos, it can be a hassle to continually do this every time you want to preserve a new video.
Luckily, there are a few ways to automatically have Google Photos back up your new WhatsApp videos:
Use Google Photos Partner Apps
Google Photos integrates with several partner apps that can automatically save media from other apps to your camera roll. Two of the most popular are:
– **AutoBackup for WhatsApp** (Android only): This app will continually monitor WhatsApp and save new videos to your camera roll for backup.
– **Auto-Add** (iOS only): This iOS app does the same thing, auto-saving WhatsApp, Instagram, and other media to your camera roll.
These provide set-it-and-forget-it functionality to make sure Google Photos gets all your WhatsApp videos.
Use IFTTT Applets
IFTTT is a free platform that lets you create automations between apps and services. There are specific applets for automatically saving WhatsApp media to Google Photos.
The **WhatsApp to Google Photos** applet will send your new WhatsApp images and videos directly to Google Photos storage without needing to go via your camera roll first.
You can set it up in a few clicks with your Google and WhatsApp accounts. Just install the IFTTT app, search for that applet, and enable it.
Try Third-Party Backup Apps
Besides the partner apps above, there are various third-party Android and iOS apps that provide batched or real-time WhatsApp media backup to Google Photos:
– Wamlr
– BackupTrans
– SyncMe
The key is finding one that specifically mentions WhatsApp video backup support. Test a few to see which you like best.
Other WhatsApp Media Google Photos Can’t Backup
While the methods above will backup your WhatsApp videos, there are some other WhatsApp file types that Google Photos can’t save:
– Voice messages – These audio clips don’t have a standard file type that Google Photos recognizes.
– GIFs – WhatsApp converts these to MP4 videos, but Google Photos only supports static GIF formats.
– Documents – Things like PDFs and Word files aren’t recognized as photos.
For non-video files like these, you will need to consider alternative backup options beyond Google Photos. Some messaging apps like Telegram automatically sync all files types to the cloud. Or you can periodically transfer WhatsApp files to a computer for backup.
WhatsApp Media Limitations in Google Photos
Aside from the file type issues above, there are a few other WhatsApp-related limitations to note in Google Photos:
No Album Organization
Google Photos does not automatically place your WhatsApp videos into separate albums. They get mixed in with all your other camera roll photos and videos.
You have to manually move the files into albums if you want your WhatsApp media organized separately.
No WhatsApp Caption Preservation
The captions, comments, and other metadata from WhatsApp does not carry over to Google Photos. Your media will just show up as regular unnamed files.
Counts Toward Storage Quota
Depending on your Google Photos settings, backing up WhatsApp videos may count toward your free storage limit:
– If you have High quality (free unlimited) backup enabled, WhatsApp videos won’t count.
– If you use Original quality backup, WhatsApp videos count toward your 15GB free quota.
So be aware backing up a lot of WhatsApp media may eat into your free Google Photos allowance.
Can’t Search by Source
Google Photos does not have a way to search for media that originated in WhatsApp. You have to browse all videos and try to identify WhatsApp files manually.
Should You Use Google Photos for WhatsApp Backup?
Given the limitations above, is Google Photos the best place to backup your WhatsApp media? Here are some pros and cons:
Pros
– Seamless high quality backup – Once set up, new videos automatically save without quality loss.
– Cross-device access – Backed up media accessible conveniently from any device.
– Free unlimited storage (in High quality) – No storage limits for High quality WhatsApp backups.
Cons
– No organization – Files mixed together, can’t search by WhatsApp source.
– Metadata loss – Loses WhatsApp captions, comments, etc.
– Manual workarounds needed – Requires extra apps or file management work for initial setup.
Alternatives to Consider
Given the cons above, you may want to consider using an alternative service or approach for your primary WhatsApp video backup:
– WhatsApp’s built-in Google Drive backup – Automatically saves all WhatsApp data including videos. Limited to free 15GB storage.
– Third-party cloud services – Many cloud storage apps offer auto-backup for WhatsApp and can preserve metadata.
– Local computer backup – Tools like iMazing can backup WhatsApp to a PC retaining more metadata. Limited by local disk space.
– External drives – Save WhatsApp backups to external hard drives or USB sticks for isolated offline archives.
So weigh the pros and cons of Google Photos vs other backup options for your specific WhatsApp video backup needs. Using a dual backup approach with Google Photos plus another service may give you the best of both worlds.
Summary and Conclusion
To wrap up, here are the key points about backing up WhatsApp videos to Google Photos:
Key Takeaways
– Google Photos does not natively auto-save WhatsApp videos. Extra steps are required to set up backup.
– You can manually export WhatsApp videos to camera roll where Google Photos will save them.
– Partner apps and IFTTT automations can auto-copy new WhatsApp media to camera roll.
– Limitations include lack of organization, metadata loss, and storage counting.
– Consider alternatives like Google Drive backup or local computer backup for primary WhatsApp archiving.
So overall, yes Google Photos can save and back up your WhatsApp videos, but may not be the ideal single solution for comprehensive WhatsApp media archiving. Use it along with other backup options to cover all your WhatsApp video preservation needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp backup to Google Photos?
No, WhatsApp does not natively or automatically back up media to Google Photos. You have to manually move videos to your camera roll first before Google Photos will save them.
Can I recover old WhatsApp videos from Google Photos?
If you previously saved WhatsApp videos to your camera roll and they were backed up by Google Photos, you can recover and download those old videos from Google Photos storage.
Will my WhatsApp videos backed up to Google Photos remain after uninstalling WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp videos saved in Google Photos will still be accessible in Google Photos even if you uninstall WhatsApp from your phone. The backups are separate.
Is Google Drive better than Google Photos for WhatsApp backup?
WhatsApp’s built-in Google Drive backup may be better than Google Photos, as it automatically saves all WhatsApp data, preserves metadata, and keeps everything organized in one place.