I was terrified to let Google delete almost 150GB of my videos and photos, but it’s the best thing I have ever done

Google revamped the storage management tool in Google Photos last year with the new Free up space feature.

It automatically runs in the background, scanning your local gallery and cross-referencing it with your cloud backups.

When it verifies a match, it prompts you to delete the local files to reclaim that precious device storage.

Technically, this is the same cleanup tool that has existed for years. The major difference with the new iteration?

It proactively scans for media already backed up on Google’s servers, rather than waiting for you to trigger a sweep when the low-storage panic sets in.

For me, it meant I only had to tap the screen twice to completely overhaul my storage situation.

Sure, there is a dedicated option for deleting individual device copies. It works perfectly if you are only dealing with a handful of files, but it is entirely impractical and a nightmare for managing thousands of memories.

Even though this feature has been sitting in my app drawer for over a decade, I was incredibly hesitant to use it. That hesitancy probably stemmed from the fact that I rarely ran out of storage.

But that all changed when I hit a major storage wall with my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

Quiz8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

Google Drive trivia challenge
How well do you really know it?

From storage limits to hidden features — put your Google Drive knowledge to the ultimate test.

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In what year did Google Drive officially launch to the public?

A2010B2011C2012D2013

Correct! Google Drive launched on April 24, 2012, after years of speculation and rumors. It debuted with 5 GB of free storage and quickly became one of the most popular cloud storage services in the world.

Not quite — Google Drive actually launched on April 24, 2012. It had been rumored for years before that, with many expecting it to arrive much sooner, but Google took its time before finally unveiling the service.

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