After June 1st, 2021, Google is going to make a couple of changes to its online storage policy. These changes can greatly impact those who are using Google storage daily basis, but also those who are not that active.
Google offers 15 GB of free storage to everyone who has a Google Account. This storage is spread across Google Photos, Drive, Sheets, Docs, Gmail, and so on. Most of these changes have impacted the storage quota, so let’s look at how your cloud storage habits might change after the changeover.
Google Storage Before June 2021
If you are not that familiar with how Google storage works currently, the changes will probably not make a lot of sense to you. So, let’s talk about the current state of Google storage and what could make you go against your storage quota.
Original quality videos and photos backed up to Google Photos, Gmail messages, and attachments, together with the Trash and Spam folders, and most of the files in Google Drive count against your storage quota and can exhaust it rapidly.
If this happens, you will no longer be able to upload new files or images to your Google Drive. You will not be able to send and receive emails on Gmail, and you will not be able to back up original quality videos and photos to your Google Photos. However, you will still be able to access your Google Account.
All of this applies to everyone, until June 2021, after which a couple of things are going to change.
Knowing these changes might save you from a lot of inconveniences, especially if you tend to use Google storage privileges often. If you are still confused as to what actually uses your storage space, Google has provided a neat explanation on their support page.
The Changes to Google Storage After June 2021
It all comes down to the storage quota. After June 2021, the nature of the files counted against your storage quota has slightly changed.
For example, high-quality and express-quality videos and photos backed up to Google Photos, as well as the files that are created or edited in apps, like Google Slides, Drawings, Sheets, Forms, and so on. These are all going to count against the storage allotted to a user.
With that said, you will be happy to know that this only applies to files that are going to be created and edited after the update. Google says that only the files that you create or edit after June 1st, 2021 will be counted against your quota; the files that you create and edit before June 1st, 2021, will not be counted against the quota.
How Does This Impact Your Existing Google Photos?
What you need to know is that your Google Photos will be fine; meaning that the photos that were uploaded before Google made its changes will not be counted towards the storage. Thus, you do not have to worry about deleting them.
However, it is advised that you remain sensible with the photos and videos that are uploaded after the updates as, with the newest rules, they are bound to fill your Google Account space quite fast.
As for those who have the paid Google One account, there is nothing to worry about. These kinds of updates do not impact you, because you pay for the full privileges of Google storage. But, if you have a free Google Account, then you need to learn more about future updates.
What If You Go Over the Storage Quota?
In case you do go over the quota, you will no longer be able to upload new images or files to Google Drive. You won’t be able to back up any videos or photos to Google Photos, and your ability to send and receive emails through Gmail will be affected as well.
In addition, you will not be able to create new files in collaborative content apps that were already mentioned above. Until you actually reduce your storage unit, nobody will be allowed to edit or copy any of the affected files. With that said, you will still be able to sign in and access all the files in your account.
Deletion of Content From Inactive Accounts
If your account has not been active for over 24 months, Google will delete your content within the products where you were inactive. This includes Drive, Photos, and Gmail. For example, if you have not used Google Photos on your account for over 24 months, then Google will most likely delete the content from Google Photos.
Again, if you have a Google One account, you do not have to worry about this too much. The new inactive use policy won’t affect you.
In any case, Google will notify you before the data is deleted, as it will not just randomly delete your data. First, you will get a notice through email and notifications within Google products.
You can expect Google to send a warning at least three months before deletion. This way you will be able to avoid deletion by simply paying for additional storage or removing some of your files. You will also be able to download your content, in case you do not want to delete anything.
If you do not want to have your files deleted due to inactivity, all you have to do is actually stay active. The easiest way to do this is to simply visit your products periodically. Activity is considered by the account, and not the device, so as long as you log into your account and visit Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive, you will be considered active.
Plan Ahead as Google Updates Will Affect Your Storage Quota
Let’s summarize the effects of the announcement on your Google Drive quota after June 1st, 2021.
- The changes only affect the files that are uploaded after the updates.
- Users with the Google One account will not be affected by the updates.
- All files on inactive Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail accounts will be deleted after 24 months with a warning.
If you are a heavy user of your Google Drive space, then there’s enough time to plan ahead. Moving your larger files and full-resolution photos to other storage spaces might be a good idea.