WhatsApp has become one of the most widely used messaging apps worldwide. With over 2 billion active users, WhatsApp handles 65 billion messages per day. Naturally, people store a lot of important data and media on WhatsApp that they may want to backup from time to time.
WhatsApp provides built-in end-to-end encrypted backups to Google Drive or iCloud. These backups include your messages, media, settings and other app data. Backups are useful to restore your chat history and data if you ever switch devices or lose your phone.
Since WhatsApp can store large amounts of data, your backups can quickly consume your cloud storage. WhatsApp provides tools to manage your backups, such as the ability to exclude large media from backups. You can also delete old backups to free up storage space.
This article will explain how to find and manage your recent WhatsApp backups on both Android and iOS devices. We will cover:
- How WhatsApp backups work
- Locating your latest WhatsApp backup on Android
- Locating your latest WhatsApp backup on iOS
- Managing and deleting old WhatsApp backups
How WhatsApp Backups Work
Before we look at finding your latest backups, let’s understand how WhatsApp’s backup system works.
Backup Frequency
WhatsApp automatically backs up your data on a regular basis. The frequency depends on your device:
- Android: Backed up daily at 2am if linked to Google Drive.
- iOS: Backed up daily at 2am if linked to iCloud and your device is charging and connected to WiFi.
You can also manually trigger a WhatsApp backup anytime on Android and iOS.
Backup Content
Your WhatsApp backups contain the following data:
- Message history and conversations
- Media files – photos, videos, voice messages, documents
- Contacts linked to your WhatsApp account
- Chat and groups settings
- Your WhatsApp settings
Backups do not include your call history.
Backup Size
Since your WhatsApp data can consume a lot of storage space, backups are limited in size:
- Android: Backups limited to 25MB if not linked to Google Drive, and 2GB if linked to Google Drive.
- iOS: Backups limited to your total iCloud storage allowance.
If a backup exceeds the size limit, the oldest backups will be deleted first to make space.
Encryption
Your WhatsApp backups are encrypted end-to-end by default. Only you can access the backup contents. Not even WhatsApp or the backup provider (Google Drive or iCloud) can read your backup data.
The encryption key is generated from your phone’s local security data, so your backup can only be restored on a device that was previously linked and authenticated with your WhatsApp account.
Finding Your Latest WhatsApp Backup on Android
If you use WhatsApp on an Android phone, your backups are saved to your linked Google Drive account. Here’s how to find your latest backup:
From WhatsApp Settings
- Open WhatsApp and tap the 3-dot menu icon.
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- You will see the date and time of your Last Backup.
From Google Drive App
- Open the Google Drive app on your Android phone.
- Look for the Backups folder.
- Open the WhatsApp folder.
- The file names contain the backup date and time. Identify the latest backup.
From Google Drive on PC
- Visit drive.google.com in your desktop web browser.
- Log in to your Google account if required.
- Look for the WhatsApp folder in Backups.
- The file names contain the backup date and time. Identify the latest backup.
On Google Drive, your WhatsApp backups may be split into multiple dated files because of the size limit. But all parts contain data from your latest backup.
Finding Your Latest WhatsApp Backup on iOS
For iPhone users, your WhatsApp backups are stored in your iCloud account. Here’s how to see your last backup:
From WhatsApp Settings
- Open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
- Tap Chats > Chat Backup.
- You will see the date and time of your Last Backup.
From iPhone Storage Settings
- Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
- Tap Manage Storage > Backups.
- Look for the WhatsApp backup in the list. The date and size indicates your latest backup.
From iCloud on PC
- Visit icloud.com and log in with your Apple ID.
- Go to Settings > Manage Storage.
- Scroll down to Backups and find WhatsApp. The date indicates your latest backup.
Your WhatsApp backup may be disabled in iCloud Drive if you are low on storage space. Make sure backups are enabled to automatically back up your WhatsApp data.
Managing and Deleting WhatsApp Backups
As mentioned earlier, your WhatsApp backups can consume a lot of cloud storage space. Here are some tips to manage old backups and free up storage:
Exclude Large Videos/Media
Videos and media forwarded on WhatsApp can bloat the size of your backups. Exclude them by:
- Android: Tap Settings > Data and storage usage in WhatsApp. Turn off “Include videos in backup”.
- iPhone: Tap Settings > Chats > Chat Backup in WhatsApp. Turn off “Include Videos”.
Delete Old Backups
You can manually delete old WhatsApp backups:
- Android: Delete old backup files from your Google Drive storage.
- iPhone: Turn off WhatsApp backups from iCloud Drive and turn it back on. This will delete existing backups and start fresh.
WhatsApp also automatically manages backups by deleting older ones when you are low on space.
Use a Local Backup
To avoid cloud storage limits, you can configure local WhatsApp backups to save directly to your device storage or SD card:
- Android: Tap WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up to local storage.
- iPhone: You cannot configure local iPhone backups for WhatsApp.
However, remember local backups will be deleted if you ever uninstall WhatsApp or wipe your phone.
Conclusion
To summarize, here are some key points about managing your WhatsApp backups:
- WhatsApp automatically backs up chats daily to Google Drive or iCloud.
- You can find your latest backup date and time in WhatsApp settings.
- Backups can also be located in your Google Drive or iCloud storage.
- Exclude large videos and media to reduce backup size.
- Delete old backups to save cloud storage space.
- Use local storage on Android if you don’t want backups on Google Drive.
Following these tips will help you take control of your WhatsApp backup size and storage. Make sure to backup regularly so you have a recent copy of your invaluable chat history and media.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does WhatsApp backup photos?
Yes, WhatsApp backups include photos, videos and other media files exchanged on the app. However, you can choose to exclude large videos from the backup to save cloud storage space.
Can I restore an old WhatsApp backup?
Yes, it is possible to restore an older WhatsApp backup, as long as you still have that backup file available in your Google Drive or iCloud storage. Just be aware that you will lose any chat history created after that backup’s date.
How long are WhatsApp backups stored?
WhatsApp will automatically delete old backups as per storage limits or when you are running low on storage space. There is no fixed duration for storing backups. New backups continuously replace older backups.
Do deleted WhatsApp messages get backed up?
No, if you delete a WhatsApp message on your phone, it will not be included in your next backup. Only the existing messages on your phone are backed up.
Can someone hack my WhatsApp backup?
It is unlikely as WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for backups. The backups cannot be accessed without a decryption key linked to your phone. However, enabling two-step verification provides additional account security beyond just encryption.
WhatsApp Backup Size Examples
Here are some examples to illustrate how WhatsApp backup size can vary depending on usage:
| User | Backup size | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Alice | 2GB | Active in many groups, shares photos often |
| Bob | 200MB | Not very active, limited media sharing |
| Charlie | 1GB | Forwards many videos, lots of group messages |
As you can see, typical backup sizes range from a few hundred MBs to a couple of GBs depending on usage patterns. Excluding large videos and media can help reduce the size.
WhatsApp Media Usage Examples
Here are some examples of how much storage media on WhatsApp can consume over time:
| Media type | Size per item | 1 year usage | 2 year usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos | 1-2 MB | 100 photos = 100-200 MB | 200 photos = 200-400 MB |
| Videos | 5-50 MB | 20 videos = 100-1000 MB | 40 videos = 200-2000 MB |
| Audio | 1-5 MB | 50 clips = 50-250 MB | 100 clips = 100-500 MB |
As you can see, videos consume a lot more storage than photos or audio. So excluding videos from backups can significantly reduce your backup size.
WhatsApp Monthly Usage Examples
Here are some examples of typical monthly WhatsApp usage that impacts backup sizes:
| User | Messages sent | Media shared | Groups joined | Monthly backup size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice | 500 | 50 photos | 2 | 150MB |
| Bob | 100 | 5 photos | 0 | 25MB |
| Charlie | 700 | 30 photos, 5 videos | 3 | 400MB |
The more messages, media and groups a user engages with on WhatsApp, the larger the backup size accumulates each month. Limiting videos helps control the size.
Conclusion
Managing your WhatsApp backups allows you to save important chat history and media, while controlling how much cloud storage is consumed over time. Make sure to backup regularly and exclude large videos to keep backup sizes reasonable.
Follow the steps in this guide to locate your latest backups on Android and iOS devices. Delete old backups you don’t need anymore. And enable auto backups so you never lose your WhatsApp data even if you switch devices or lose your phone.