Where is the WhatsApp backup stored on Android 10?

Where is the WhatsApp backup stored on Android 10 - briefly?

On Android 10, WhatsApp backups are stored in Google Drive by default. This ensures that your chat history and media files are safely backed up and can be easily restored if needed.

Where is the WhatsApp backup stored on Android 10 - in detail?

On Android 10, WhatsApp backups are primarily stored in two locations: Google Drive and local device storage. Here’s a detailed breakdown of where your WhatsApp data is backed up and how to manage it.

Backup on Google Drive

WhatsApp allows users to back up their chat history, photos, videos, and audio messages to Google Drive. This feature ensures that your data is safe even if you switch devices or need to reinstall WhatsApp.

How It Works:

  1. Automatic Backups: By default, WhatsApp automatically backs up your chats to Google Drive daily at 2 AM.
  2. Manual Backups: You can also create manual backups by going to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
  3. Backup Frequency: The frequency of backups can be set to Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Only when I tap “Back up”.

Storage Details:

  • Google Drive Space: The backup does not count against your Google Drive storage quota.
  • File Type: Backup files are stored as encrypted archives with a .crypt12 extension.
  • Location: The backup file is stored in the Google Drive folder associated with your Google account that you used to set up WhatsApp. You can access it via the Google Drive website or app under the WhatsApp > Backups section.

Local Device Storage

In addition to Google Drive, WhatsApp also keeps a local backup on your device’s internal storage. This local backup is automatically created every day at 2 AM and includes messages, photos, videos, and audio files.

How It Works:

  1. Automatic Backups: Similar to Google Drive backups, WhatsApp creates daily local backups.
  2. Backup Location: The local backup is stored in a hidden directory on your device’s internal storage at /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases.
  3. File Types: The local backup consists of SQLite database files with extensions like .db or .db-crypt.

Managing Backups

Managing your WhatsApp backups is crucial for ensuring you don’t run out of storage space on either Google Drive or your device.

On Google Drive:

  1. Check Backup Size: Go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup to see the size of your backup and when it was last updated.
  2. Delete Old Backups: If you have old backups that are no longer needed, you can delete them from Google Drive manually by going to drive.google.com, navigating to WhatsApp > Backups, and selecting the files you want to remove.

On Local Device Storage:

  1. Check Backup Size: The size of local backups can be checked in the same Chat Backup settings under WhatsApp.
  2. Delete Old Backups: To free up space on your device, you can delete old backups by navigating to the /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases folder and selecting the files to remove. Be cautious not to delete the current backup file.

Conclusion

Understanding where WhatsApp backups are stored on Android 10 is essential for effectively managing your data and storage space. By utilizing both Google Drive and local device storage, WhatsApp ensures that your messages and media are safely backed up and easily accessible when needed. Regularly checking and managing your backup size can help prevent issues related to storage limitations.