WhatsApp gets cloud backup via Google Drive

WhatsApp users will be able to save their messages, photos and videos to Google Drive via a software update. That should make restoring backups easier. The service now has 800 million active users.

The new feature is in version 2.12.45, the installation file of which is circulating on the Internet. According to Android Police, in this new version there is a possibility to save received messages, photos and videos in Google Drive. The backup frequency can also be set; for example, once a day, or once a week or month. By linking to the corresponding Google account, backups can be restored more easily: now users still have to manually transfer files from one smartphone to another if they want to switch.

Version 2.12.45 is not currently being rolled out and is not yet on the WhatsApp website, where version 2.12.44 is the latest. The software will probably be officially rolled out soon, but the makers themselves have not announced anything yet.

In recent times, many features have been added to WhatsApp. This made it possible to use the service via the web and to make internet calls. A recent update brought Material Design to WhatsApp: that is the design language that Google has come up with for Android and web services. Founder Jan Koum recently announced that the messaging service now has more than 800 million active users.