Hello folks! If you’ve ever restored a new iPhone and watched your WhatsApp chats crawl back from an iCloud backup, you know how much you’re trusting Apple’s cloud to keep years of messages safe. That might be about to change. Code found inside WhatsApp’s own beta app shows the company is quietly building its own backup service, one that skips iCloud completely.
What actually changed
Right now, if you back up WhatsApp on an iPhone, that backup sits inside your iCloud storage, counted against whatever plan you pay for. Encryption on those backups is optional. You have to go dig into Apple’s Advanced Data Protection settings to turn it on yourself, and most people never do.
App researcher WABetaInfo found code inside a recent WhatsApp TestFlight build (version 26.28.10.16) pointing to a first-party backup system built and run by WhatsApp itself. It would sit alongside iCloud as a choice, not force anyone to switch. Android users are getting a matching option to skip Google Drive too.
Key details
- Free storage: 2GB, no cost.
- Paid tiers: Around $0.99 a month for 50GB, with a 1TB option also in the works (pricing for the top tier isn’t locked in yet).
- Encryption: End-to-end encryption by default, and you can’t turn it off. You can lock it with a passkey, a password, or a 64-digit key. Neither WhatsApp nor Meta can read your backup.
- Platforms: Being built for both iPhone and Android, as separate projects.
- Status: Not live yet, even in beta. It’s sitting in the app’s code, discovered by beta testers digging through TestFlight builds.
Why it matters to you
The big deal here is encryption, not storage space. On iCloud today, your WhatsApp backup is only end-to-end encrypted if you’ve manually switched on Advanced Data Protection, a setting most iPhone owners have never touched. That means, by default, a chat backup sitting in iCloud could technically be accessed under certain legal requests. WhatsApp’s own system removes that gap entirely by making encryption mandatory, not optional.
There’s also a practical upside if you’re the type who’s always fighting for iCloud storage space, or who’s run into iCloud sync problems before. Photos, device backups, and WhatsApp all competing for the same 5GB free tier is a familiar headache. Moving WhatsApp’s backup to its own separate 2GB (or paid) bucket means one less thing eating into your iCloud quota.
I’ll admit, I didn’t even know my WhatsApp backups weren’t encrypted by default until I checked my own settings while writing this. If that surprised you too, it’s worth a two-minute detour into your iCloud settings to see where you stand right now, even before this new option shows up.
How to get it (once it’s live)
There’s nothing to turn on yet since the feature isn’t public. Once it rolls out, expect the option to live inside WhatsApp’s Settings under Chats > Chat Backup, where you’ll likely be able to pick WhatsApp’s own cloud instead of iCloud and set your encryption key. Keep your app updated, since features like this usually start as a slow, staged rollout rather than hitting everyone at once.
What’s next
WhatsApp hasn’t confirmed a release date, and features found in beta code don’t always ship, or ship exactly as discovered. Given that Meta has been pushing default encryption across its apps generally, this fits a pattern rather than coming out of nowhere. Worth watching for an official announcement in the coming months.
Frequently asked questions
Will WhatsApp force me to stop using iCloud for backups?
No. Based on what’s been found so far, WhatsApp’s own backup would be an added option, not a replacement you’re forced into. iCloud backup should still work as it does now.
How much will WhatsApp’s own backup cost?
Early code points to 2GB free, with a roughly $0.99 a month tier for 50GB. A 1TB option is also being built, though pricing for that isn’t finalized.
Is WhatsApp backup encryption really better than iCloud’s?
For most people, yes, because it’s on by default. iCloud only encrypts WhatsApp backups end-to-end if you’ve manually enabled Advanced Data Protection, which many users never do.
When is this coming out?
There’s no official date. It’s currently just code found inside a TestFlight beta build, not a public feature yet.
What do you think?
Would you switch your WhatsApp backups off iCloud once this ships, or does keeping everything in one place matter more to you? Let us know in the comments.