In a world that envelopes thousands of gigabytes of data compressed into small packets, we are constrained by the limitations of space unavailable to store no more. Is more ever enough? In that case, no more poetic lines. It is true, however, that the concern about data storage comes before data security. A user may use a multitude of apps on one device, which increases the shortage of space. Moreover, the fear of losing significant files is grave. In that case, backup serves both purposes: storing and protecting against accidental loss of files. This article will allow us to gain insights on how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos. You will also learn how it does sync WhatsApp photos to Google Photos in real time.
How to Back Up WhatsApp Photos to Google Photos
Back up is a process that creates and stores copies online or offline of vital data that the user wants to protect against any kind of data loss. This backup data can be retrieved when needed. The loss of data can be triggered due to hardware or software issues, data corruption, an attack from malware or a virus, or even accidental formatting of storage. While WhatsApp is a messaging and engaging platform used both at personal and professional levels, files in the form of text data, images, videos, and documents, everything tends to serve a purpose and can be critical for someone or another. That being said, how to back up WhatsApp images.
How to Back Up WhatsApp Photos to Google Photos on Android?
We have listed below methods to create a backup and store the images on Google Drive if you use an Android phone.
Method 1: Backup WhatsApp Images Folder
In the first method, we will learn how to back up the complete folder of WhatsApp images to Google Drive on a mobile phone.
1. Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
2. Tap on the Profile icon from the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Tap on Photos settings.
4. Tap on Backup and turn on the toggle for it.
5. Now, tap on Back up device folders.
6. From the list of folders, turn on the toggle for the WhatsApp Images folder.
Now Google Photos will back up the WhatsApp images to your Google account automatically.
Note: If you want to sync WhatsApp photos to Google Photos, keep in mind that after following the aforementioned steps, both apps will stay in sync. Any image received and downloaded on WhatsApp would automatically back up to Google Photos. However, you need to keep in mind that backup and sync require a data connection and if you have a good data connection, both apps would maintain a real-time sync.
Also Read: Fix WhatsApp Photos Not Backing Up to Google Photos on Android
Method 2: Backup Selected WhatsApp Images
In case you do not want to back up the complete WhatsApp folder, Google Photos also preserves the backup of specific images you want to save. This method will teach you how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos retaining the user’s choice.
1. Launch Google Photos on your phone.
2. From the home screen of Google Photos, tap on the Library tab.
3. Swipe down and tap on the WhatsApp Images folder to open it.
4. Select the desired images you want to create a backup of.
5. From the top-right corner, tap on the three-dotted icon.
6. Tap on the Back up now option.
The images you selected will now be created as backup copies in Google Drive.
Method 3: Backup Entire WhatsApp to Google Drive
The native option to create a backup of WhatsApp creates a database, a backup file on Google Drive which can be restored on WhatsApp upon being reinstalled or for any other reason.
1. Open the WhatsApp app on your Android or iOS phone.
2. Tap on the three-dotted icon.
3. Then, select Settings.
4. Tap on the Chats option from the menu.
5. Tap on Chat backup.
6. Tap on the Google Account option and add your Gmail account.
7. Tap on Back up to Google Drive and choose the desired time span and frequency following which you want WhatsApp to create a backup of the chats and files on Google Drive.
8. Tap on Back up.
Now, in addition to how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos, the above steps WhatsApp will now automatically keep saving an entire backup file on Google Drive in the time span you have chosen.
Also Read: Fix Not Receiving WhatsApp Messages Unless I Open the App
How to Back up WhatsApp Images to Google Photos on iOS?
WhatsApp cannot completely perform a backup on iPhone to Google Drive directly. From iPhone or iCloud, Google Drive will create a backup of photos in Google Photos, contacts will back up to Google Contacts and Calendar will back up to Google Calendar, as mentioned in the Google Drive Help Centre.
If you use WhatsApp on your iPhone and want to back up the photos received there to Google Drive, let’s be clear: transferring data directly from an iPhone to Google Drive is still not the most convenient method and there’s a long way to go.
Method 1: Sync WhatsApp Images on iPhone and Google Drive
This slightly complicated and improper backup and restore method can be used to save image files at least in the form of backup copies.
Step I: Save WhatsApp Images to Camera Roll
1. Launch WhatsApp on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Settings.
3. Tap on the Chats option.
4. Turn on the toggle for the Save to Camera Roll option.
After this, the images that you receive on WhatsApp will be saved in the iPhone’s camera roll. From here, this can be taken backup to Google Drive. While you cannot restore these backup images, they will be saved in Google Drive and can be accessed whenever required.
Step II: Backup WhatsApp Photos to Google Photos
To back up images to Google Drive from an iPhone:
Note: This sync of WhatsApp photos to Google Photos is not a real-time sync and the user would every time need to perform it manually.
1. Launch the Google Photos app on your iPhone.
Note: Sign in to your Google Account if not signed in already.
2. Tap on your Profile icon from the top-right corner.
3. Tap on the Google Photos settings option.
4. Tap on Backup & sync.
5. Turn on the toggle for the Backup & sync option.
Also Read: 10 Ways to Fix Google Photos Not Showing All Photos
Method 2: From iTunes App on Windows PC
One more unpopular method can be transferring WhatsApp images to an Android device via a PC and then creating a backup on Google Drive. As we said, it takes an eternity but for the present time is concerned, that is what you can do if you do not wish to install a third-party app. This method can be used to import photos from iPhone to a Windows PC by connecting the phone to the computer.
1. Connect your iOS device to the PC using a USB cable.
2. Unlock your device for uninterrupted functioning because the PC does not recognize the device in a locked state.
Note: If any prompt on your iOS device asks you to verify the device by enabling trust, tap on Trust or Allow to continue.
3. On your Windows PC, launch the File Explorer app and open the This PC section.
4. Right-click on the iOS device from the Devices and drives section.
5. Click on the Import pictures and videos option from the context menu.
6. Select the Review, organize, and group items to import radio button.
7. Click on More options and select the desired destination folder on the PC to save the images and videos.
8. Then, click on Next.
9. Select the desired WhatsApp images you want to import and click on Import. Wait until they get transferred.
10. Now, launch Google Chrome and navigate to your Google Photos account.
11. Click on +Import from the top.
12. Select Computer under the UPLOAD FROM section.
13. Select the imported WhatsApp images you want to import to Google Photos.
14. Click on Open to upload as backup copies in Google Photos.
15. Select the desired backup quality for the images and click on Continue.
If you use WhatsApp on a Windows PC and have downloaded the images on your PC. The solution you are looking for how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos lies in the aforementioned steps. These steps can back up any image from a Windows PC to Google Drive.
Method 3: From iCloud to Google Drive
Although this isn’t a necessary solution, it works for people who want to ditch iOS and move to Android or for the ones who have exhausted the free cloud space on iCloud by moving images to Google Drive. Following the steps would create copies of the iCloud photos and transfer them to Google Photos. To do this, the user would have to request a copy of the iCloud photos.
Note: The transfer doesn’t remove the images from iCloud. Any further additional image or video files stored in iCloud won’t sync to Google Photos automatically.
1. Visit the Apple Data & Privacy website on your browser.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. Click on Get Started from the Get a copy of your data section.
4. Select the iCloud Photos or iCloud Drive in which the WhatsApp images are backed up.
5. Then, select the desired maximum file size and click on Complete request.
6. After receiving the photos, Import them to your Google Photos account with the help of the steps mentioned in the above heading.
Also Read: Fix Google Photos Unable to Save Changes
Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications
For conducting how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos, there is no inter-transferable medium between Google Drive and iCloud. That denotes if you use WhatsApp on an iPhone to back up images on Google Photos, unlike Android, which does not have a conventional straight path to follow. You would need to use an app developed by a third party.
Note: We do not endorse or sponsor any of the apps listed below. Users should ensure the protection of their data for privacy or any data loss.
- A third-party app that you can use to transfer WhatsApp from iOS to Android is MobileTrans: Data Transfer by Wondershare Technology Co. Ltd. Follow the steps as posted on their official page and you will be able to back up the photos to Google Drive.
- You can also use the Mutsapper – Chat App Transfer by Wondershare Technology Co. Ltd. To transfer images and other files from iOS to Android and then create a backup of the same on Google Drive from your Android device.
- Tenorshare iCareFone Transfer can be used to transfer WhatsApp between Android and iOS using which you can transfer WhatsApp images and then create a backup over Google Drive.
- iTransor for WhatsApp enables a user to move WhatsApp between multiple devices running multiple operating systems. So, WhatsApp data can be transferred between iPhone and Android and vice versa.
- AppTrans helps the user to transfer WhatsApp across iPhones and Android phones.
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We hope that you learned how to back up WhatsApp photos to Google Photos. Feel free to reach out to us with your queries and suggestions via the comments section below. Also, let us know what topic you want to learn about in our next article.
