WhatsApp backup is a feature that allows users to save their WhatsApp data like chats, media, and settings to Google Drive or iCloud. By default, WhatsApp takes an automatic daily backup at 2 AM. However, users can change the frequency to monthly instead of daily if they want.
Why would someone want to change to monthly backup?
There are a few reasons why a WhatsApp user may want to switch to monthly backups instead of daily:
- To save storage space – Daily backups take up more storage space compared to monthly backups. For users with limited cloud storage, monthly backup is more storage efficient.
- Faster backup time – Backing up less frequently means each backup takes less time to complete.
- Avoid unimportant backups – If users only have important changes occasionally, a daily backup may be unnecessary.
- Privacy reasons – Some users may prefer backing up their chats less frequently for privacy.
How to change WhatsApp backup frequency to monthly
Changing the backup frequency to monthly is easy and can be done right within WhatsApp’s settings:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap on Backup Frequency.
- Select Monthly from the options.
That’s it! WhatsApp will now take an automatic backup once every month instead of daily.
Where does WhatsApp backup data get saved?
WhatsApp gives users two options for saving their backup data:
- Google Drive – For Android users, backups get saved to their linked Google Drive account. Up to 12GB of backup data can be stored for free.
- iCloud – For iOS users, backups get saved to their iCloud drive. Up to 12GB of free storage is available.
So with monthly backup, about 12GB of WhatsApp data is backed up to the cloud once per month.
What happens if I restore from a monthly backup?
If you need to restore your WhatsApp account from a backup, you simply reinstall WhatsApp and select restore during setup.
With a monthly backup, any chats or changes between the last monthly backup date and your restore date will be lost. This is because monthly backups capture a snapshot in time rather than continuous daily changes.
For example, if your last monthly backup was on Jan 1 and you restore on Jan 15, any chat history between Jan 1 and 15 would not be restored.
Can I switch between monthly and daily backup?
Yes, you can freely switch between monthly and daily WhatsApp backups at any time. Just go into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and choose your desired frequency.
When you switch, your existing backups are unaffected. So you won’t lose any chat history that’s already been backed up.
What happens if I don’t have any internet when backup time comes?
If your phone does not have an active internet connection when the scheduled backup time arrives, WhatsApp will simply skip that backup.
No backup will be taken until the next scheduled time, when the phone has an internet connection again.
So with monthly backups, if you miss the monthly backup due to no internet, your data will simply remain unbacked up until the next month.
Can I manually trigger a WhatsApp backup?
Yes, you can manually trigger a WhatsApp backup anytime, even if you have monthly backups set.
To manually backup at any time:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings.
- Tap Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now.
This will immediately initiate a WhatsApp backup to your linked Google Drive or iCloud storage.
WhatsApp backup size – How much data is actually backed up?
A full WhatsApp backup contains:
- Your chat history and messages
- Your WhatsApp media files – photos, videos, voice messages, documents
- Your WhatsApp settings and preferences
Some key details on backup sizes:
- Monthly backups are typically larger than daily backups because they contain a month’s worth of changes rather than just a day.
- Media files take up the bulk of backup space. Photos and videos in particular are large files.
- Group chats take up more space than one-on-one chats.
- Voice messages take up more space than text messages.
- On average, expect a monthly WhatsApp backup to be about 5-10GB.
Tips to reduce WhatsApp backup size
Here are some tips to reduce the size of your WhatsApp backups if you need to save on storage space:
- Clear large media – Delete old photos/videos, especially from active group chats.
- Export chat history – Back up chats externally then delete from WhatsApp.
- Limit forwards – Forwarded media eats up backup space.
- Delete large documents – Files like PDFs can be backed up elsewhere.
- Avoid voice messages – These take up significantly more space than text.
Following these tips can help trim down your monthly WhatsApp backups to be more storage friendly.
What happens if my backup data exceeds storage limit?
By default, WhatsApp backups to Google Drive and iCloud are limited to 12GB each.
If your backup size exceeds this limit, the next scheduled backup will fail. WhatsApp will alert you that the backup failed due to insufficient storage space.
Some options if you exceed the backup quota:
- Clear up space in Google Drive or iCloud.
- Reduce backup size using the tips mentioned above.
- Purchase additional Google Drive or iCloud storage.
- Use a third party backup tool instead of the built-in option.
Without sufficient storage, WhatsApp cannot take any new backups until space is cleared.
What happens if I uninstall WhatsApp without backing up?
If you uninstall WhatsApp without taking a backup, you risk losing your WhatsApp data including chat history, media files, and settings.
When you reinstall WhatsApp and restore from a backup, it will use your last backup.
If your last backup was the monthly one from weeks ago, you will lose all recent WhatsApp data since that backup.
Therefore, if you plan to uninstall WhatsApp, first manually take a backup to capture your most recent data.
Can I view my backup data without restoring?
Unfortunately, there is no official way to view the contents of your WhatsApp backup files without fully restoring them.
The backups are encrypted and cannot be decrypted or opened without using WhatsApp’s restore process.
However, there are some third party tools claiming to offer the ability to explore WhatsApp backups. Use these at your own risk.
Does WhatsApp delete old backups automatically?
WhatsApp stores up to your last 7 daily backups and retains them for a rolling 30 day period. After 30 days, daily backups older than 7 days are automatically deleted.
For monthly backups, WhatsApp retains up to the last 12 monthly backups saved. Once you exceed 12 monthly backups, the oldest ones are deleted first.
So in summary:
- Daily backups – Last 7 backups retained for 30 days
- Monthly backups – Last 12 backups retained indefinitely
This automatic deletion helps ensure your finite cloud storage space doesn’t get filled up with too many unused legacy backups.
Should I be concerned about WhatsApp backup security?
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for messages in transit and also encrypts the backup files. So your chats and data remain private from hackers or unauthorized access.
However, here are some points to keep in mind regarding WhatsApp backup security:
- Backups are not protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. Apple, Google can access them.
- Enable password protection and two-factor authentication for backup account.
- Don’t backup very sensitive data – keep out of WhatsApp if needed.
- Beware of third party backup tools – security and privacy unknown.
As long as your Google Drive or iCloud account is secure, your monthly WhatsApp backups should be reasonably safe. But additional precautions are always wise for privacy.
Conclusion
To summarize key points about WhatsApp’s monthly backup option:
- Monthly backup is less frequent than the daily default backup.
- It saves storage space but restores less chat history if needed.
- On average monthly backups take 5-10GB of space.
- Media files take up the most space in backups.
- You can manually trigger a backup anytime.
- Enable backup password and account two-factor authentication.
- WhatsApp retains 12 monthly backups indefinitely.
I hope this detailed overview explains what WhatsApp’s monthly backup is, how to use it, key considerations, and best practices. Let me know if you have any other questions!