WhatsApp Spotted Testing Option to Manage Chats Backup Size, Community Feature for Group Conversations

WhatsApp is spotted working on a new section to let users manage their chat backup size and exclude specific content such as documents and photos from their cloud backup, according to a report. The change could initially be limited to Android devices and may work with the backups being stored on Google Drive. WhatsApp is also separately seen working on a feature called Community that could help provide a better group conversation experience. Both new backup size management and the Community feature are yet to be introduced for beta testing.

In a report, WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo has said that the instant messaging app is working on the dedicated ‘Manage backup size' section to let users manage their backup size before uploading it to the cloud.

WhatsApp for Android beta 2.21.21.7 appears to have some references about the update. A screenshot has also been shared by WABetaInfo to suggest how the new section would allow users to manage their backup size by excluding photos, audio, or documents from their backups. However, beta testers are yet to see the changes at their end as the change is said to be under development at this moment.

WhatsApp for Android has been spotted bringing a section for managing backup size
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

At present, WhatsApp doesn't provide any backup size-related details to users from its app. Users, though, have the option in place to exclude videos from their cloud backups.

Although WhatsApp has not yet provided any official details about allowing users to manage their backup size, the change is believed to be in place to help limit backup packages before uploading them to the cloud. It could be due to a change supposedly coming to Google Drive storage for WhatsApp backups.

Google Drive currently provides unlimited storage for WhatsApp backups, though it stopped giving unlimited space for photos earlier this year. A similar move could come into place for WhatsApp backups as well in the future.

WhatsApp is also implementing end-to-end encryption on cloud backups. Last week, it started beta testing the security-focussed update on both Android and iOS devices.

Alongside the new backup section, WhatsApp has been spotted working on a Community feature. XDA Developers found some new code strings referring to the feature in WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.21.21.6. The strings suggest that the Community feature works similar to the existing Groups offering on the app.

One of the strings found within the beta app suggests that Community and Groups may coexist on the messaging app.

WABetaInfo says the Community feature would provide users a way to organise their WhatsApp groups better. It may, however, not work have feature standalone space for group conversations — unlike groups on WhatsApp and other community-driven features available on Facebook and Twitter.