How to delete WhatsApp backup in Google Drive

WhatsApp has asked users to update backups on Google Drive that they have ignored in a year, or risk losing them permanently, before November 12. This has become importsant because of a recent pact between WhatsApp and Google Drive. In a mail to users, Google Drive says, "WhatsApp backups will no longer count against Google Drive storage quota. However, any WhatsApp backups that have not been updated in more than a year will automatically be removed from storage."

While it is easy to update backup on Google Drive, what has concerned many is the revelation that WhatsApp data stored on Google Drive are not end-to-end encrypted, making them vulnerable to hackers' attack. Anyone with access to you Google account, can easily access your personal WhatsApp data stored on the cloud server. One of the options to play safe is to avoid backing data on the Google Drive, or delete data from there.

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You can remove WhatsApp data from your Google Drive. Foll these steps:

1. Go to the Google Drive website and log in to your Google account.
2. If you're accessing the Google Drive website from your phone, you'll have to tap the Menu icon in the top left corner and then tap Desktop Version.
3. Click the Gear icon in the top right corner > Settings > Manage Apps.
4. Scroll until you find WhatsApp in the list. Please note it might take several minutes for WhatsApp to appear.
5. After you find WhatsApp in the list, wait until “Hidden app data” size comes up. This might also take several minutes.
6. Click OPTIONS > Delete hidden app data > DELETE.

(Source: WhatsApp)