Android Users to Lose More Google Storage Under New Backup Policy
Android Users to Lose More Google Storage Under New Backup Policy
https://androidkenya.com/2026/07/android-users-to-lose-more-google-storage-under-new-backup-policy/
Publish Date: 2026-07-15 18:07:00
Source Domain: androidkenya.com
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…
