How to Back Up Saved WhatsApp Statuses to Google Photos

Saved statuses live in a Downloads subfolder Google Photos doesn't back up by default. One switch in Google Photos fixes that.

Status Saver 1 min read
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To back up saved WhatsApp statuses, open Google Photos → Collections → On this device → WhatsappStatuses and turn on Backup. Statuses saved with Status Saver live in Download/MobileByteSensei/WhatsappStatuses, which Google Photos doesn't back up until you switch that folder on.

Turn on backup for the folder

  1. Open Google Photos → tap Collections (or Library).
  2. Under On this device, find WhatsappStatuses (sometimes shown as Download).
  3. Open it and turn on Backup at the top.

From now on every status you save is uploaded with your other photos, under your Google account's storage plan.

Things to know first

  • Backups count against your Google storage. Videos add up quickly; if you save a lot, consider backing up at Storage saver quality.
  • Deleting on the phone after backup frees space; the copy in Google Photos stays. Don't use "Free up space" if you want both.
  • It's a private copy. Backing up doesn't share anything with the person who posted the status — keep it that way unless they're happy for it to be shared.

Prefer a computer?

Plug the phone in over USB and copy the WhatsappStatuses folder, or move them when you change phones — see moving saved statuses to a new phone. On a computer you can also save statuses directly from WhatsApp Web with the Chrome extension, see saving a status on a PC.

Keep it tidy

A backup of 400 statuses you never look at is still 400 statuses. A quick monthly clear-out helps — how to keep saved statuses under control.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Photos back up WhatsApp statuses automatically?
No. It backs up the Camera folder by default; the folder your saved statuses live in has to be switched on once.
Do backed-up statuses use my Google storage?
Yes, they count against your Google account storage. Back up at Storage saver quality if you save a lot of videos.
If I delete a status on my phone, is the backup deleted too?
Deleting in Google Photos deletes both. Use Free up space only if you want just the cloud copy.

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