Google has begun notifying Android users of a significant change to its cloud storage policy that will see all Android device backups count towards their Google Account storage quota, potentially leaving some users with less available cloud space.
According to emails sent to users, the new policy will take effect within 45 days. Once implemented, all data included in Android device backups will count against the storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos.
Previously, only photos and videos stored in Google Photos, along with multimedia message (MMS) attachments, counted towards a user’s storage quota. Under the revised policy, additional Android backup data including SMS and MMS messages, call logs and history, device settings and app data will also consume cloud storage.
The update comes as Google revises how users manage storage across its ecosystem. Each Google Account currently includes 15GB of free storage shared between Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. However, Google has announced that new Google Accounts created from March 9, 2026, will receive 5GB of free storage, with users able to unlock an additional 10GB by verifying a valid phone number.
Besides Android backups, Google storage is also consumed by Gmail emails and attachments, including messages in the Spam and Trash folders, files stored in Google Drive such as PDFs, photos and videos, Google Meet call recordings, original-quality photos and videos backed up to Google Photos, and files created or edited in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, Recorder and Google Vids after June 1, 2021.
Photos and videos uploaded using the former High Quality option, now known as Storage Saver, after June 1, 2021, also count towards storage, while those backed up before that date remain exempt. WhatsApp backups on Android devices are likewise included in a user’s Google Account storage allocation.
Google notes that files appearing in the “Shared with me” section of Google Drive do not count against a recipient’s storage quota. Instead, the storage is deducted from the account of the person who owns the file.
The company also enforces a 750GB daily upload and copy limit for Google Drive. Users can upload or copy up to 750GB of data every 24 hours before the limit resets.
Alongside the storage policy change, Google is introducing more granular backup controls for Android users running Android 9 or later. Users will be able to choose exactly which apps and categories of data are backed up to the cloud, allowing them to exclude information they do not need to preserve and reduce storage usage.
Google says if an account exceeds its storage quota, Android backups will automatically pause until sufficient space is freed or additional storage is purchased through Google One.
Exceeding the storage limit also affects other Google services. Users will no longer be able to upload new files or images to Google Drive, back up photos and videos to Google Photos, create new files in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms or Google Vids, or back up new Recorder files. Gmail functionality may also be affected, preventing users from sending or receiving emails while they remain over quota.
Google says users can still sign in to their accounts and access existing content even after exceeding the storage limit, but many services will remain restricted until storage usage is reduced.
The company further warns that users who remain above their storage quota for more than two years risk having content permanently removed from their Google Account. This could include emails stored in Gmail, files in Google Drive, photos and videos in Google Photos, documents created in Google Workspace apps and Android device backups.
Before deleting any content, Google says it will notify affected users through email and in-product notifications at least three months in advance. Users will also be given the opportunity to free up storage space, download their data or purchase additional storage through Google One to avoid deletion.
Google recommends using its Storage Manager to identify large files, old emails and duplicate content that can be removed to reclaim space. The company says users who require more storage can upgrade to a Google One subscription.
Although Google estimates the Android backup policy will increase storage usage by an average of around 40MB per device, the actual increase will vary depending on the amount of app data, messages and device settings being backed up.
