Google Drive, Google’s cloud storage service, has over 2 billion active monthly users, with each account receiving 15GB of free space. This space can quickly fill up, especially if you have a lot of photos and videos. If you run out of storage, Google will prompt you to upgrade to a Google One plan, but there are ways to clear up space for free. One method is to find and delete large files first, as deleting a few large files can free up more space than deleting numerous small files. This can be done on both desktop and mobile devices by sorting files by size and selecting items to delete.
Another way to clear space in your Google account is to delete large attachments in Gmail. By searching for emails with attachments larger than a certain size and deleting them, you can free up storage space in your Gmail account. This process can be done on both desktop and mobile devices. It is also essential to empty your spam folder regularly to prevent unnecessary data taking up space in your account.
Google Photos, included in the 15GB of free storage, can also take up a significant amount of space with photos and videos. Deleting old or duplicate media files can help free up storage in your Google Photos account. Additionally, reducing the file size of some photos and videos can help regain storage space, although it will lower the quality of the media. It is important to note that deleting items in Google Photos will also remove them from linked iCloud accounts for Apple users.
If you have exhausted other methods and still need more space, downloading your files to your computer can free up storage in your Google account. By selecting and downloading files from Google Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos onto your hard drive, you can safely delete them from your account. This process can be done individually for emails in Gmail, making it more time-consuming but still possible.
Overall, managing storage space in Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos is essential for keeping your digital files organized and accessible. By utilizing these tips and tricks to clear up space, you can efficiently manage your storage capacity and avoid the need to purchase additional storage plans from Google. Regularly deleting large files, attachments, and media can help maintain a well-organized and clutter-free digital filing system.
