WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp backs up conversations to iCloud or Google Drive to preserve chat history if you lose your phone or switch devices. However, these backups can take up significant storage space.
The WhatsApp backup size can vary depending on how heavily you use the app. It may contain your messages, photos, videos and other media. Backups happen by default daily if you’re connected to WiFi and power. Here are some tips to reduce WhatsApp backup size on iOS devices.
Check Current WhatsApp Backup Size
First, check how much storage space your current WhatsApp backup is consuming. To do this:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap Chats > Chat Backup.
- You’ll see the size of the latest backup and date it was created.
This gives you an idea of how large your backup is. You may be surprised at the amount of space WhatsApp backups can occupy.
Exclude Large Media from Backup
Media files like photos, videos and voice messages are usually the biggest contributors to WhatsApp backup size. You can choose to exclude these from your backup to significantly reduce its size:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Backup Excludes.
- Toggle off the switches for Videos, Photos and Audio to not back them up.
With this setting enabled, new media won’t be included in your backup. Previous media will still be there, so you need to clear that out.
Delete Old Chats and Media
Manually deleting old chats and media you no longer need is an effective way to reduce WhatsApp backup size. Here are some ways to clear out unwanted content:
- Open chats and delete old conversations you don’t need.
- In Settings > Storage Usage, review large files like photos and videos and delete ones you don’t need.
- Delete groups you are no longer part of.
- Go through your media and files in WhatsApp and delete large unwanted items.
Taking the time to manually remove unnecessary content can significantly reduce your backup size. It may be tedious but worth it.
Change Auto-Backup Frequency
WhatsApp backs up your data daily by default when charging and on WiFi. You can change this auto-backup frequency to be less frequent:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Auto-Backup. Choose an option like Weekly or Monthly.
With less frequent auto-backups, your backup size will grow more slowly over time.
Disable Backup for Large Groups
If you’re part of large WhatsApp groups with thousands of messages per day, consider excluding them from your backup. Here’s how:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Exclude Chats.
- Select the groups you want to exclude.
This prevents constant backups being triggered by large groups. You can manually backup these chats occasionally if needed.
Use Google Drive to Store Backups
WhatsApp gives you the option to backup to iCloud or Google Drive. If you use an Android phone, Google Drive is preferable as it gives unlimited storage for WhatsApp backups.
To switch to Google Drive backup:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Backup to Google Drive and follow the prompts.
This provides virtually unlimited backup storage for free. Your backup size will only be limited by available space on your phone.
Clear WhatsApp Cache
WhatsApp stores cached data like temporary files and thumbnails. Over time, this can accumulate and add bulk to your backups. You can clear the WhatsApp cache to remove this:
- Go to iPhone Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Select WhatsApp and tap Offload App to clear the cache.
After offloading WhatsApp, reinstall it from the App Store. This will give you a fresh cache. Perform this periodically to stop cached data bloating backups.
Perform Manual Backups
By default, WhatsApp handles backups automatically. But you can also do manual backups to better control size:
- In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now to perform a manual backup.
Only back up when you need to, like when you’re switching phones or resetting your device. Avoid too many automatic backups which gradually increase size.
Use iCloud or Local Storage Selectively
If you have an iPhone with limited iCloud storage, WhatsApp backups can quickly eat it up. Use these selectively:
- Disable iCloud backup and only use manual local backups as needed.
- Upgrade your iCloud storage plan if you need more space.
- Use local iTunes backups for your iPhone instead of iCloud.
Choose the backup method that suits your needs without filling up valuable cloud storage.
Transfer Chats to a Computer
You can free up backup space on your phone by transferring WhatsApp chats and media to a computer for storage:
- On your phone, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Export Chat and select the chats you want to export.
- The chat history will be exported as a .ZIP file to your computer.
Store these chats on your computer or external drive instead of your phone to reduce backup size. You can still access them if needed.
Clear Cached Media Files
WhatsApp may store cached versions of media files on your device. Clearing this can provide some backup size relief:
- Go to iPhone Settings > General > iPhone Storage.
- Select WhatsApp and review the documents and data listing.
- Tap items marked Cache to delete them.
This will delete any residual cached media that may be unnecessarily included in your backups.
Conclusion
WhatsApp backups can take up significant storage space due to all the media, messages and files they contain. But you’re not helpless against bulging backup sizes. With a few tweaks to your backup settings and chat data management, you can slim down your WhatsApp backup storage footprint.
Strategically exclude media from backups, change how often backups occur, delete old chats and media, and carefully manage iCloud storage. With a little diligence, you can keep your backup size reasonable and under control.