Why is my WhatsApp backup size increasing?
There are a few key reasons why your WhatsApp backup size may be increasing over time:
- Sending and receiving media: Photos, videos, GIFs, voice messages and other media can quickly add up in size. The more you exchange with friends, family, colleagues etc, the larger your backup will grow.
- Group chats: Being part of multiple group chats means all the shared media and messages get backed up too. Even if you don’t actively participate, the backup still captures all activity.
- Unnecessary attachments and files: Memes, documents, long voice notes and other unneeded attachments contribute to the backup size.
- Message history: Your full message history with every contact is included in the backup. The longer you’ve used WhatsApp, the more chat history has accumulated.
- Frequently updated info: Profile photos, status updates, About text also get backed up each time there’s a change.
So in summary, an increase in your personal media usage, participation in busy group chats, keeping old attachments and accumulating long chat histories over time can all contribute to a growing WhatsApp backup size.
How to reduce WhatsApp backup size
Here are some tips to reduce WhatsApp backup size:
Delete old media
Regularly go through all your chats and delete photos, videos, documents, voice notes and other media that you no longer need or want backed up. This can significantly reduce backup size over time.
Leave groups
Assess if there are any groups you can afford to leave which are no longer relevant or have high volumes of inactive media sharing. Leaving them will exclude all associated data from your backup.
Export and delete large conversations
For important chats with a single contact, consider exporting the chat history and media to storage, then deleting the conversation from WhatsApp. This preserves it outside your backup.
Change auto-download settings
Disable auto-download of media and documents in WhatsApp settings. This prevents your device from automatically storing new media you receive, reducing backup size. You can selectively download only what you need.
Disable backups
If you want to fully stop backups to conserve storage, you can disable chat backups in WhatsApp settings. However you’ll lose backup/restore capability and chat history if you switch devices.
Use Google Drive to manage storage
Enable Google Drive backups in WhatsApp settings. This lets your backup be stored in Google Drive storage rather than your phone storage. You can then monitor usage and purchase additional storage if needed.
Delete old backups
Navigate to your phone’s internal storage/files manager. Look for the WhatsApp/Database folder and delete old .crypt backup files you no longer need. This frees up space used by outdated backups.
Before reducing your backup size
Before taking any actions to reduce your WhatsApp backup size, consider these points:
- Important media/messages: Make sure you’ve saved any irreplaceable media or conversations that you want to keep outside of WhatsApp storage.
- Requirements: Check if there are regulatory requirements for your organization to retain certain messages/data within WhatsApp based on your jurisdiction.
- Backup frequency: WhatsApp backs up daily by default, so your actions will take time to actually reflect in reduced backup size.
Taking the above into account will prevent accidental data loss when trying to reduce your WhatsApp backup size.
Other ways to free up space
Apart from your WhatsApp backup, here are some other areas you can clear out to free up storage space on your phone:
- Unused apps: Uninstall apps you no longer need.
- Large files: Delete or transfer large files like movies, playlists or ebook files.
- Cached data: Clear cached data and cookies from browser and social media apps.
- System files: Check system storage for crash logs, temporary files and other junk that can be cleared.
- Photos & videos: Offload unused photos and videos to cloud storage or external hard drive.
- Music: Delete music you no longer listen to, especially for offline playlists.
Targeting the above areas for deletion can significantly reduce your overall device storage usage, not just WhatsApp backup size.
WhatsApp backup size FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about managing WhatsApp backup size:
How do I find the size of my WhatsApp backup?
On Android: Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > BACKUP SIZE
On iPhone: Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Storage Usage
What gets backed up in WhatsApp?
Your messages, photos, videos, voice messages, call logs, contacts, group info, settings and other account information. Your chat history with businesses is not backed up.
How often does WhatsApp back up chats?
WhatsApp backs up your data daily by default when connected to power and WiFi. You can customize the frequency in Settings.
Is my WhatsApp backup encrypted?
Yes, WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for backups so the data is not accessible by anyone else including WhatsApp.
Can I transfer WhatsApp data to a new phone?
Yes, during WhatsApp setup on your new phone you will have the option to restore chat history from either iCloud (iPhone) or Google Drive (Android).
Conclusion
Keeping your WhatsApp backup size manageable is important to conserve storage space on your phone and ensure smooth functioning of the app. Follow the tips in this article to identify and delete unnecessary backup data, change WhatsApp settings to optimize auto-downloads and backups, and free up space taken up by old backups. With a little maintenance and spring cleaning, you can keep your WhatsApp size optimized and under control.