• 2 min read
Android backups now eat into Google’s 15GB free storage
Google now counts Android device settings and app data against its 15GB free storage cap. For most users, the increase is small, but backups can be trimmed.
Image: ZDNET
Google is now counting Android device settings and app data toward the 15GB of free storage included with every Google account. That pool is already shared across Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Gemini, and some third-party services, including WhatsApp.
Google has updated its support documents and is emailing users about the change. On Android, you can check the new backup categories at Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data.
Until now, that section mainly covered MMS data and media selected for backup in Google Photos. The rollout adds two new categories:
- Device data: SMS, call history, and device settings
- App data: configuration data for installed apps
These toggles were enabled by default for the ZDNET author. The change should make it easier to restore apps and settings when moving to a new phone or setting up a secondary device.
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Google told 9to5Google that the average increase should be about 40MB per user. In the author’s case, Google’s email showed an increase of 0.1GB. The largest single app backup on that device was VLC at 6.1MB.
How to reduce backup storage use
If the extra usage pushes you closer to the limit, the fixes are straightforward. You can turn off the new backup toggles if you do not expect to switch devices soon, and you can disable backups for apps you do not need restored later.
Media remains the bigger storage problem. Turning off Google Photos cloud backup, lowering photo backup quality to Storage saver or Express, and disabling media backups in WhatsApp can cut usage far more than trimming app settings.
The article also suggests regularly deleting email trash and prioritizing messages with attachments if you need to free up space quickly.
For users who want to avoid cloud storage entirely, offline backups to external devices, a NAS, or self-hosted storage remain options. Some Android vendors, including OnePlus with OxygenOS, also offer built-in on-device backup tools.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via ZDNET
