Google Changes 15GB Free Storage Rule: Users May Need to Verify Phone Number to Keep Full Space

Tech giant Google is reportedly testing a major change to its long-standing free cloud storage policy, potentially affecting millions of Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos users worldwide.

For years, every standard Google account automatically received 15GB of free cloud storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. However, recent reports suggest that new users may now receive only 5GB of free storage by default unless they link a mobile phone number to their account.

The change was first noticed during the sign-up process for new Google accounts, where users reportedly saw a prompt offering two options — keep 5GB of storage or verify their phone number to unlock the full 15GB. Google is said to be using phone verification to ensure that additional storage is granted only once per person and to improve account security.

Google has not yet officially confirmed whether this policy will become permanent worldwide. However, industry observers noted that the company recently changed wording on some of its support pages from “15GB free storage” to “up to 15GB free storage,” hinting at a possible shift in policy.

Currently, Google’s free storage is shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, meaning large email attachments, cloud backups, and high-resolution photos all consume space from the same quota.

The move could bring Google’s storage strategy closer to competitors like Apple, which offers smaller free cloud storage plans by default. Analysts believe the update may also help Google reduce fake account creation and improve identity verification across its ecosystem.

Users who exceed their storage limit may face restrictions such as inability to send or receive emails, upload files, or back up photos unless storage is cleared or additional space is purchased through Google One subscriptions.

Technology experts are advising users to regularly review their storage usage, delete unnecessary files, and back up important data offline to avoid sudden service interruptions.