WhatsApp, a messaging app, is actively working on a feature that will allow Android users to export and import their chat backups offline from Google Drive, a screenshot shared by a WEBetaInfo suggests. This backup option mentioned is said to include the full chat history, images, videos and other media files.
The feature was first reported to be under development in June this year but the latest development on this update suggests that WhatsApp is keen to roll out this feature for beta testing in near future.
WhatsApp has rolled out a new feature update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.22.20.10. The screenshot shared by WABetainfo reads, “If you exported a backup from your previous device, you can import it now.” This is an additional step that users have to do when they either reinstall WhatsApp on their phone or when they switch their smartphone. If users select to import, it will start restoring their data from Google Drive to the local storage of the devices.
Interestingly, the upcoming feature of WhatsApp will come in handy when users do not have an internet connection or high internet speed. A local backup would automatically be created by WhatsApp so users can export or a backup to import it later. Currently, there is no option to import local backup data. The messaging platform prompts users to import a backup from the Google account linked to the device when users set it up on a new handset.
The feature to import and export backup locally was first spotted earlier this year. WABetainfo had also reported that WhatsApp backups on Google Drive. would get limited storage allocation. This means that users would be allowed to import their chat backups if they reach the particular threshold on Google Drive and store their backed-up data offline on their device. Users would also be able to upload their chat backups back to Google Drive when they adequate space available.
It is not clear till now whether WhatsApp would offer a similar functioning for WhatsApp for iOS after it is released for WhatsApp for Android.
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