WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. A key feature of WhatsApp is the ability to back up your chat history, media, and settings, allowing you to restore them if you ever lose your phone or switch to a new device.
WhatsApp offers two backup options – local backup to your phone’s storage, and cloud backup to Google Drive. This raises the natural question – are these two backup methods the same? Is there any difference between local and Google Drive backup for WhatsApp?
Summary of Key Differences
In short, while WhatsApp’s local and Google Drive backups both allow you to restore your WhatsApp data, there are some key differences:
- Storage location – Local backup is on your phone’s storage, Google Drive backup is in the cloud
- Automation – Google Drive backups happen automatically, local backups are manual
- File size – Google Drive backups are unlimited, local backups are limited to your phone storage
- Media inclusion – Google Drive backups include media by default, local backups exclude media
- Encryption – Local backups are encrypted end-to-end, Google Drive backups are not encrypted by default
The main advantage of using Google Drive backup is convenience – your chats are automatically backed up daily and you have unlimited storage. However, local backups provide greater security and privacy as they are encrypted and stored only on your device.
Storage Location
The first major difference between WhatsApp’s local and Google Drive backups is where your backed up data is stored:
- Local backup – Your chat history, media, and settings are backed up locally to your phone’s internal storage or SD card.
- Google Drive backup – Your WhatsApp data is backed up to your linked Google Drive account in the cloud.
With local backup, your data remains securely on your device. With Google Drive backup, it is stored remotely on Google’s servers. The advantage of the cloud is that your data can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.
Advantages of local backup storage
- Does not use mobile data or require internet connection
- Backed up data remains private and accessible only from your device
- No issues with hacking, outages, or policy changes on cloud servers
Advantages of Google Drive backup storage
- Access your WhatsApp backup from any device by logging into your Google account
- Unlimited free storage for your backups on Google Drive
- Automatic daily backups give you an offsite copy in case you lose your phone
Automation
Another major difference is how automated the backup process is:
- Local backups need to be manually triggered by going into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Google Drive backups happen automatically each day when your phone is charging, connected to WiFi, and screen is off.
Having your WhatsApp chats automatically backed up to the cloud via Google Drive provides an extra layer of protection against data loss. With local backups, the responsibility is on you to remember to manually trigger backups.
Frequency of local vs Google Drive backups
| Backup Type | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Local | Manual, when user triggers backup |
| Google Drive | Automatic, daily when conditions met |
As you can see, the automated nature of Google Drive backup makes it far more convenient than having to manually run local backups.
File Size
WhatsApp local and Google Drive backups also differ in the amount of data that can be backed up:
- Local backups – Limited to the available storage space on your phone’s internal storage or SD card.
- Google Drive backups – You get unlimited free storage on Google Drive for your WhatsApp backups.
Typical size of WhatsApp backups
| Backup Type | Typical Size |
|---|---|
| Local | 100 MB to 1 GB |
| Google Drive | Unlimited |
As you can see, local backups are constrained by the available storage capacity on your phone. In contrast, you never have to worry about running out of space with Google Drive backups.
Media Inclusion
By default, WhatsApp’s local and Google Drive backups handle media attachments differently:
- Local backups do not include your chat media by default. You have to enable media backup manually in settings.
- Google Drive backups automatically include your chat media without any additional steps needed.
This makes Google Drive the more convenient and robust backup option if you want to retain copies of all the photos, videos, and other media shared in your chats.
Enabling media backup for local WhatsApp backups
If you do want local backups to include your media, you need to enable it manually:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap “Include Videos” to back up any video files from chats
- Enable “Include photos” to include photos in backup
Just remember that backups with media will take up more storage space on your device.
Encryption
The final major difference between WhatsApp’s backup options is their level of encryption and security:
- Local backups are encrypted end-to-end by default. Only you can access this backup.
- Google Drive backups are not encrypted by default. They can be accessed by Google and third parties.
End-to-end encryption ensures only you can view your local WhatsApp backup. With Google Drive, backups are secured by your Google account credentials, but not encrypted from Google itself.
Encrypting Google Drive backups
It is possible to encrypt your Google Drive backups manually by:
- Setting a backup encryption key in WhatsApp settings
- Enabling encryption for your Google Drive backup
However, this is not enabled by default and adds complexity compared to the automatic encryption you get with local backups.
Conclusion
In summary, while WhatsApp’s local and Google Drive backups both allow you to restore your chat history if needed, there are important differences to consider:
- Local backups provide greater privacy and security via end-to-end encryption.
- Google Drive provides convenience through automated daily backups and unlimited storage.
- Local backups require manual triggering and have limited storage based on your phone.
- Google Drive backups happen automatically in the background without user intervention.
Neither backup method is inherently “better” – it depends on your priorities. Local backup is best if you want total control, security and privacy. Google Drive backup is ideal if you want automated offsite backups without storage limits.
Using both together gives you the most comprehensive WhatsApp data protection through on-device encrypted backups plus automated cloud backups.
References
- https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/chats/about-google-drive-backups/?lang=en
- https://faq.whatsapp.com/android/chats/about-local-backups/?lang=en
- https://www.whatsapp.com/security/WhatsApp-Security-Whitepaper.pdf