Google is ending its unlimited free storage policy on June 1.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Google Photos will end its unlimited free storage policy for photos and videos next week. After June 1, any new photos and videos you upload will count toward the free 15GB of storage that comes with every Google account. But don’t worry: Any photos or videos you’ve uploaded before that day won’t be part of the cap. And Google has added a new free tool to help you manage your storage quota.
The move, first announced in November, is meant to encourage people to sign up for Google’s storage subscription service, Google One. Google One plans start at $2 a month in the US for 100GB of storage and other features, like Google Store discounts.
Read more: 6 of the best photo storage options for 2021
It’s a good idea to make sure your existing photos and videos are backed up in Google Photos before the Tuesday deadline, since those will be considered free and exempt from the storage limit. You can check your backup quality in the Photos app by going to Settings > Back up & sync.
Keep on top of the latest news, how-to and reviews on Google-powered devices, apps and software.
Once the change takes effect, more than 80% of current Google Photos users should still be able to store about three years of content with that free 15GB. Google will notify you in the app and by email once you get close to hitting your 15GB limit. You can also find a personalized estimate for how long your free storage may last, based on how frequently you back up photos and videos to your Google Account.
In May, Google added a new tool in the Photos app to help you manage the photos and videos you’ve backed up that count toward your 15GB storage quota. It will surface photos or videos that you might want to delete, like photos that are blurry or screenshots, or videos that are large, to better manage the storage you have.
More than 4 trillion photos are stored in Google Photos, the company said in November, with 28 billion new photos and videos uploaded each week. In May, Google unveiled new Photos features including the ability to remove photos from your Memories and new AI-powered techniques to make your photos come alive.
For more, check out the best online photo book services of 2021.
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