Choose where WhatsApp stores your message data
Pick a country — India and 13 others — and WhatsApp keeps that number's message data at rest there. Set it when you connect a number, or change it any time from the channel page.
Released 15 July 2026
Businesses with data-residency needs can now choose the country where WhatsApp stores a number's message data at rest.
What's new
- Pick a storage location when connecting a number — the connect flow now has an optional "Data storage location" choice. India, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom and ten more countries are available. Leave it on the default if this doesn't apply to you.
- See it on the channel page — each WhatsApp channel shows where its message data is stored, checked live.
- Change it any time — owners and admins can switch a number's storage location (or turn it off) from the channel page. Applying a change pauses messaging on that number for about 5 minutes; your message history is not affected.
- Media follows suit — where WA.cr keeps a localised channel's media can be aligned to a matching region too. Ask us if you need this for a specific country.
Good to know
- This is optional — nothing changes for existing numbers unless you change it.
- Numbers connected through the WhatsApp Business app (coexistence) don't support this — WhatsApp doesn't offer it for them.