Google Photos Storage Changes - June 1, 2021

Starting on June 1, 2021, Google will be revising its storage policies for complimentary accounts – a change that will likely impact many users. Those utilizing free Google accounts and regularly using Google Photos should anticipate the need to subscribe to Google One in the coming year.

Currently, all free Google accounts include 15 GB of cloud storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. While emails and Drive files already contributed to this 15 GB limit, beginning June 1st, files created in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard will also be factored into the storage allowance. These files are typically small in size, however, the more significant change is that almost all of your Google Photos uploads will now utilize this 15 GB.

This represents a substantial shift, as Google Photos presently allows for unlimited image storage (and unlimited HD video) at no cost, provided the resolution is under 16MP or you accept some quality reduction. After June 2021, any new photo or video uploaded in high quality – which previously didn’t count against your storage – will be included within the 15 GB limit.

Considering the increasing number of photos taken annually, this free storage space will be consumed relatively quickly. Google estimates that 80% of its users will have at least three years before reaching their 15 GB limit. However, as a reader of TechCrunch, you likely fall within the 20% who will exhaust their space much sooner – or perhaps you already have a Google One subscription.

There is some positive news: to ease this transition, photos and videos uploaded in high quality before June 1, 2021, will not be counted towards the 15 GB free storage. As before, images uploaded in original quality will continue to use storage space. Furthermore, Pixel device owners will still be able to upload an unlimited number of high-quality images even after June 1st.

To help you understand how long your current storage will last, Google will now provide personalized estimates. Additionally, a new free tool for Photos will be released next June to simplify storage management, including identifying potentially unwanted dark or blurry photos for deletion – a departure from Google’s previous encouragement to “archive, don’t delete!”

Beyond these storage updates, a few other changes are worth noting. Google “may” delete content in Gmail, Drive, or Photos if an account is inactive for over two years. This means if you use Gmail but haven’t accessed Photos for two years, Google could remove any photos stored there. Similarly, if you exceed your storage limit for two years, Google “may delete your content” across all three services.

Reducing a free, and in some instances unlimited, service is rarely a popular decision. Google maintains that these changes are necessary to “continue to provide everyone with a great storage experience and to keep pace with the growing demand.”

Users currently upload more than 4.3 million GB to Gmail, Drive, and Photos daily, which undoubtedly incurs significant costs. However, Google has complete control over these services and likely anticipated this evolution when initially establishing its policies.

To a certain extent, this development was foreseeable. The Google of 2010, known for its generous offerings, is no longer the same. We have already observed indications that Google might reserve certain advanced features in Photos for Google One subscribers. This latest change will undoubtedly encourage more users to subscribe to Google One, increasing revenue and lessening the company’s reliance on advertising.