Storing thousands of photos and videos is fantastic until you get the "I'm out of space" notification. Since Google Photos' unlimited free storage ended, managing your quota is key to continuing to upload memories without interruption. If you've run out of space or are about to, here's everything you need to free up space, optimize backups, and, if you prefer, upgrade your plan..
Before you rush to delete anything, it's a good idea to understand how the quota works and what tools you have available. Google Photos shares its 15 GB of free storage with Drive and Gmail.And some things count, and some don't. Below you'll see how to check your usage, which categories to review, how to compress your gallery, free up space on your phone without losing anything in the cloud, move content to other platforms, and when it makes sense to upgrade to Google One.
How do I check my storage and when will I not see an estimate?
The first thing to do is check how much capacity you have left and what is taking up space. Google Storage Manager It shows you a breakdown by products and "heavy" categories that are worth cleaning up.
Keep in mind: There are situations where you won't see a reliable estimate of how much you can recover.
- If you haven't been backing up regularly recentlyIf your account has very little free space or was provided by your work, school, or group, the estimate may not be available.
- If you use an account supervised or provided by a primary/secondary schoolThe storage management tool may not be operational for you.
Free up space with Storage Manager
Google offers a very simple guided cleaning. With the "Review and delete" function, you can quickly sweep away screenshots, blurry photos, or giant videos..
- Open Google Storage Manager.
- In “Review and delete”, enter the category you want (for example, screenshots, blurry, heavy videos).
- Select the items to delete.
- Click on Move to trash.
By removing content that does take up space in your account, You may see an estimate of how much storage you recover.If it doesn't appear, don't worry: as soon as you empty the trash or the retention period ends, you'll see the change reflected.
What doesn't add up to storage (and why deleting it doesn't change your quota)?
Although it may sound strange, not everything counts. There are special elements that, if you delete them, won't free up space because they "didn't weigh anything" anymore..
- Uploads from some Pixel devices with specific copy options. On certain models and qualities, Those photos or videos don't count. in the quota.
- Content that was copied before June 1, 2021 in “high” or “express” quality (what is now called “storage saving”). Those historical items don't use up your storage..
- Items saved using "Share with collaborator" as long as the other person continues to share them with you. As long as that link exists, it doesn't count.
Optimize without losing memories: three techniques to avoid deleting anything
If you don't want to delete your photos, you can gain some leeway by playing with quality, moving content, and cleaning up your phone without touching the cloud. These three strategies help you gain some breathing room without giving up your memories..
1) Change the copy quality to “Storage Saver”
This setting reduces the size of the files you upload from now on while maintaining good visual quality for everyday use. It's a direct way to slow down quota consumption without deleting anything..
How to switch to “Storage Saver”
- Open Google Photos (app or web) and go to Settings.
- Go to Backup and Sync.
- Under Backup Quality, choose “Storage Saver”.
When activated, new shipments are compressed. The loss is usually minimal when viewing, sharing, or printing at standard size..
Quick advantages: smaller file size, reversible configuration whenever you want, and the same library accessible from any device.
2) Use the “Free up space” function on your mobile phone
Is your phone running low on memory? This option deletes items from your device that are already backed up to the cloud and helps you to free up space on android. Perfect for freeing up gigabytes on your phone without losing a single photo in Google Photos.
Steps on Android
- Open Google Photos on your Android and sign in.
- Tap your photo or initial and choose “Free up space on this device”.
- You'll see how much you can unlock. Confirm with "Unlock from device".
- To continue viewing everything, go to photos.google.com or return to the app (with an internet connection).
Important: Make sure backup is enabled and completed before freeing up space. Some photos and videos less than 30 days old may remain on the deviceYour copies will remain in your online library.
3) Move content to other cloud services or to Google Drive
If you need a more structured solution, you can move part of the archive to other platforms, leaving Google Photos as your main gallery. Organize, download, and relocate the things you consult least often to balance your quota.
Quick guide to transferring content to Google Drive
- Go to Google Photos and select what you want to move.
- Download to computer.
- Upload to a folder on Google Drive (or another cloud).
- Check that everything is correct.
- Delete those photos from Google Photos if you already have a copy on another service.
You can also consider alternatives such as Dropbox, OneDrive or Amazon Photos to diversify. This way you keep your memories safe without putting all the burden on a single payment.
Earn even more: compress what you've already uploaded
In addition to changing the quality for new content, you can convert your entire existing gallery to "Storage Saver". This instantly reduces your quota consumption in a single step..
- Open Google Photos in your browser and go to Settings.
- Go to Manage storage.
- Choose “Convert photos and videos to storage-saving quality”.
- Read the warning: there is no going back after compression. Mark that you understand.
- Click on “Compress available photos and videos”.
Compression reduces size and resolution (for example, 4K videos are downscaled to 1080p and very large photos are resizedIn return, you gain plenty of space to continue uploading content.
Smart cleaning: blurry images, screenshots, and large videos
We take dozens of photos that don't deserve a permanent place: blurry, repeated, or temporary captures. The manager separates these categories and tells you how much of your fee you could recover if you remove them..
Go to Manage storage and explore the sections. Select in bulk or individually what you don't need and send it to the trash.Don't worry: the recycle bin keeps items for a while before they are permanently deleted.
Beyond Photos: Free up space in Gmail and Drive
Remember: the 15 GB are shared between several services. Cleaning up Gmail and Drive also restores capacity to Google Photos.
- In Gmail, search for large emails using filters like larger: 10M o larger: 20MReview attachments you no longer need and delete them.
- In Drive, locate huge presentations, old copies, or redundant files. Google's native documents are usually small in size, but uploaded files (PDFs, ZIPs, videos) do take up space..
After emptying and cleaning, don't forget the trash can. Until it is emptied (or the retention period passes), the space is not fully freed.
Relocate videos on YouTube (private mode)
If your videos take up a large part of your storage quota, you can consider this: download the largest ones and upload them to YouTube, marking the visibility as "Private". This way you keep them and can view them whenever you want without them counting towards your Google Photos count..
Once copied to YouTube, delete the originals from Photos. Make sure the upload to YouTube has finished successfully and that you have reviewed the privacy settings.It's a good tactic if you record a lot of video and want to reserve Google Photos for your photo archive.
Buy more storage with Google One
If you'd rather forget about the calculator, you can upgrade your plan with Google One. You have monthly or annual plans available and you can move up or down a level whenever it suits you..
How to change plans
- On your computer, go to Google One.
- Go to Settings and tap on Change subscription plan.
- Choose your new storage limit:
- To upgrade your plan: Select an option under “Upgrade to a higher plan”.
- To pay less: Choose an option under “Switch to a lower plan”. If none appears, you are already on the lowest plan.
- Confirm price and details with Next.
- Select payment method.
- Press on Subscribe.
You can cancel at any time if you no longer need it. Consider paying annually if you're looking to save money compared to monthly payments..
Typical tiers include 15 GB free and scale up to 100 GB, 200 GB and several terabytes. Choose according to your size and whether you share with family.
Shared storage in work or school accounts
If you use a Google Workspace account or the old G Suite, the Google One view reflects your organization's individual or shared usage. If you have little individual quota left, you'll see your personal limit; if shared quota is running low, you'll see the group quota..
Other products (such as Drive) may show different numbers regarding the total share. This is normal: each tool may display some of the information differently..
Payments and subscriptions: common problems and solutions
Are you unable to complete your storage purchase? Sometimes you see the message “Transaction declined, failed, or incomplete” or “Cannot purchase storage for this account.” The most common causes are usually active subscriptions on another account or purchases made from another device.
- If you have Google One active on another account, Cancel it and wait until the end of the period to hire whichever one you want.
- If you share the device with a family member who already has Google One, Consider joining the family plan to take advantage of the same quota.
Android: Free up space on your phone without touching your cloud storage.
The "Free up space on this device" option focuses on local storage. It deletes copies of items already backed up from your phone, but keeps them in your online library..
- Open Google Photos on Android and sign in.
- Tap your photo/initial and enter Free up space on this device.
- Check the amount to be released and confirm.
- To view your photos, use the app with an internet connection or visit photos.google.com.
Important: This function erases data from your phone. Make sure your backup is up to date. In some cases, items less than 30 days old may remain on the device even if a backup has already been created..
What happens when you delete from your phone?
Even after deleting the local copy, you can still view, share, and edit from the Google Photos app and the web. If you're using your phone's native gallery, are offline, or aren't logged in, you won't see those items..
Recovering deleted photos: how far does the trash can go?
If you regret it, the first thing to do is check the trash on your phone or Google Photos. As long as it hasn't been emptied and the retention period hasn't expired, you can restore it..
- Open the Gallery app on your Android phone.
- Tap Menu and enter Trash.
- Select what you want to recover and press Restore.
If it doesn't appear, it may have been permanently deleted. On some devices with Android 11 or higher, unbacked items may be permanently deleted after 30 days..
Cases in which you will no longer be able to restore
- It's been over 60 days since you moved it to the trash.
- You emptied the trash can after moving it.
- On Android 11 or later, more than 30 days have passed and I didn't have a backup.
- You permanently deleted it from the trash.
- You deleted from the device's Gallery without a previous backup to the cloud.
To minimize surprises, always enable Backup and Sync. This way you'll have a safety net if you accidentally delete something on your phone..
Extra tricks to effortlessly scrape together megabytes
There are small gestures that add up. Activate storage alerts, periodically check the recycle bin (items usually remain for 30 days), and remove duplicates..
- Before making major changes, make an additional backup on an external drive or another cloud service and consider archive apps.
- Set quarterly reminders to review screenshots and blurry photos.
- If you share a family account, agree on rules for organizing folders or albums.
If you handle a lot of 4K or RAW video, consider a hybrid strategy: Compress the everyday, preserve the important in its original form, and move heavy projects to another cloud or local storage..
And what about Pixel phones as a "shortcut" for space?
Historically, Pixel phones have offered copying and quality advantages in Google Photos depending on the model and date. If you're thinking about changing your phone, check the current conditions of the Pixel you're interested in.Because there may be storage benefits or copy quality that, in certain cases, don't count the same as the rest. It's not the cheapest option, but it makes sense for some users.
When is it worth paying (and how to choose a plan)
If after optimizing everything you're still short on space, Google One is the convenient solution. A subscription lets you relax and also share with your family.
- 100 GB is usually enough for users who take photos on their mobile phones and save small documents.
- 200 GB or 2 TB are suitable for those who record more video and share it with their family.
- 10 TB, 20 TB or 30 TB plans are geared towards creators who work with huge files.
Over time, you can move up or down a step. If usage is consistent, the annual fee is usually more cost-effective than the monthly fee..
Quick FAQ
What can I do to free up space in Google Photos? Change the quality to "Storage Saver", use "Free up space" on your mobile device and move content to other cloud services or to Drive.
How to empty Google Photos without losing anything? Use "Free up space" to delete only from the device. The copy in the cloud remains intact and accessible.
I've deleted photos and it still shows as full, why? The content may still be in the trash or there may have been items in original quality. Empty the recycle bin and check the copy quality.
Any final advice before we touch the gallery? Back up your data, enable storage alerts, and review Gmail filters and "heavy" Drive folders; This frees up shared quota, which will also benefit Google Photos..
With a combination of compression, smart cleaning, using "Free up space," and, if needed, a Google One plan, you can keep your library tidy, accessible, and safe, without sacrificing your memories or the peace of mind of having everything under control. Share this information and more users will know how to free up space in Google Photos.