WhatsApp now lets you backup conversations, photos and videos to Google Drive

We had earlier reported about how WhatsApp has been testing its new update to the Android app which will let you backup your WhatsApp conversations to Google Drive.Scott Johnston, Director of Product Management has now officially announced the feature. In a blogpost he wrote, "Starting today, WhatsApp for Android lets you create a private backup of your chat history, voice messages, photos, and videos in Google Drive. And once you do, you can restore everything on a new device with just a couple taps."The new backup feature is rolling out over the next few months, so keep an eye on your WhatsApp settings to see if it’s available," he further added.A previous report revealed how the feature will come with the latest update with version number 2.12.45 for Android. This version could be downloaded from the company's official website.With the new update, you will need to select the option to take a backup to Google Drive in the chat 'Settings' tab. You will naturally have to connect your Gmail account associated with Drive to the WhatsApp account.WhatsApp already has the offline conversation backup feature but with the online conversation backup, your WhatsApp chats will show up in Google Drive whenever you take a backup while being connected. This will make backing up comparatively speedier.Backing up conversations has been an oft-requested feature on WhatsApp.Recently, WhatsApp also released the Material Design for Android smartphones. It is currently available only as an APK file. The new Material Design overhaul brings a refined look. Though the general layout is same, it now has a refreshing colour scheme – a deep green title bar that blends seamlessly into the three tabs for calls, chats and contacts. The chat window comes with new buttons to record voice messages, and also made available in attachment option pop-up.During group chats, you will find a cleaner layout and a larger cover image. You will also find some cosmetic changes made to the media selection screen.Recently the company CEO Jan Koum also announced on his Facebook page that WhatsApp has reached 800 million monthly active users.