Google revamped the storage management tool in Google Photos last year with the new Free up space feature.
It automatically runs in the background, scanning your local gallery and cross-referencing it with your cloud backups.
When it verifies a match, it prompts you to delete the local files to reclaim that precious device storage.
Technically, this is the same cleanup tool that has existed for years. The major difference with the new iteration?
It proactively scans for media already backed up on Google’s servers, rather than waiting for you to trigger a sweep when the low-storage panic sets in.
For me, it meant I only had to tap the screen twice to completely overhaul my storage situation.
Sure, there is a dedicated option for deleting individual device copies. It works perfectly if you are only dealing with a handful of files, but it is entirely impractical and a nightmare for managing thousands of memories.
Even though this feature has been sitting in my app drawer for over a decade, I was incredibly hesitant to use it. That hesitancy probably stemmed from the fact that I rarely ran out of storage.
But that all changed when I hit a major storage wall with my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Google Drive trivia challenge
How well do you really know it?
From storage limits to hidden features — put your Google Drive knowledge to the ultimate test.
StorageFeaturesHistoryIntegrationSecurity
In what year did Google Drive officially launch to the public?
Correct! Google Drive launched on April 24, 2012, after years of speculation and rumors. It debuted with 5 GB of free storage and quickly became one of the most popular cloud storage services in the world.
Not quite — Google Drive actually launched on April 24, 2012. It had been rumored for years before that, with many expecting it to arrive much sooner, but Google took its time before finally unveiling the service.
How much free storage does Google give every user across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos combined?
Correct! Google provides 15 GB of free storage shared across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. This pooled storage model means heavy Gmail users may find their Drive space filling up faster than expected.
The correct answer is 15 GB. Google pools your free storage across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos, so emails with large attachments and high-resolution photos all count toward that same shared limit.
Which of the following file types can Google Drive natively open and edit without any additional software?
Correct! Google Drive can open and convert .docx files using Google Docs, allowing you to edit Microsoft Word documents directly in your browser. It supports a wide range of Office formats including .xlsx and .pptx as well.
The correct answer is .docx via Google Docs. Google Drive has built-in compatibility with Microsoft Office formats, letting you open and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files without needing Microsoft Office installed.
What is the name of Google’s desktop application that syncs Drive files to your computer?
Correct! Google Drive for Desktop (formerly Google Backup and Sync and later Drive File Stream) is the official app that syncs your Drive content to Windows and macOS. It replaced the older Backup and Sync tool in 2021.
The correct answer is Google Drive for Desktop. Google rebranded and consolidated its sync tools in 2021, replacing the older Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream apps with this single unified desktop client.
When you share a Google Drive file using a shareable link, what is the default access level Google sets?
Correct! By default, Google sets link-shared files to Viewer access, meaning recipients can see the file but cannot edit or comment on it. You have to manually change permissions if you want others to be able to interact more deeply with the content.
Not quite — Google defaults to Viewer access when you generate a shareable link. This is a deliberate safety measure to prevent accidental edits, and you need to manually upgrade permissions to Commenter or Editor if needed.
Which Google Drive feature allows multiple people to edit the same document simultaneously in real time?
Correct! Real-time collaboration is one of Drive’s most celebrated features, letting multiple users edit a document, spreadsheet, or presentation at the same time. You can even see each collaborator’s cursor moving around the document as they type.
The broadly accepted term is real-time collaboration. This flagship feature of Google Workspace allows teams to work on the same file simultaneously, with changes appearing instantly for all users — a game-changer when it launched.
Before Google Drive launched, which Google product served as the primary way to store and share documents in the cloud?
Correct! Google Docs, which launched in 2006 after Google acquired Writely, was the main way users stored and collaborated on documents before Drive existed. Drive essentially gave Docs a proper home and expanded the concept to all file types.
The answer is Google Docs. Launched in 2006, Google Docs let users create and share documents online years before Drive arrived. When Drive launched in 2012, it became the underlying storage layer that powered Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
What is the maximum individual file size you can upload to Google Drive?
Correct! Google Drive supports individual file uploads of up to 5 TB, which is an enormous limit suitable for even the largest video production files. Of course, you still need enough storage quota in your account to accommodate such large files.
Surprisingly, the correct answer is 5 TB per file. Google Drive is built to handle very large files, making it viable for video editors and professionals working with massive assets — as long as your overall storage quota can handle it.
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We need to convince Google to bring back the good ‘ol microSD
If not, I’d like to see cheaper storage options
I have been driving this device daily for over a year now. Because the camera system is so excellent, I always found myself capturing photos and videos during my daily exploits and family trips more often than before.
All those heavy 4K clips, plus a ton of playful shots and clips my son took with my phone that I haven’t audited, quickly filled most of the 256GB of internal storage on my Pixel phone.
Situations like this make me deeply miss the good old microSD card slot.
If brands like Google hadn’t completely ditched expandable storage, I would have gladly opted to keep my library housed locally on a physical card rather than trusting Google.
But like most modern smartphone users, I didn’t have a choice unless I wanted to buy a new phone with a higher storage tier.
So, I opted to pay for an expanded Google One plan, which I share with my wife and use to manage multiple devices, including my Windows PC.
Despite that massive cloud storage buffer, I recently realized my phone was almost full, with only a mere 7GB left.
It is a little silly that the operating system didn’t aggressively alert me when my local drive was almost full. Or perhaps I simply ignored the warnings entirely.
You don’t need to rely on cloud storage solutions
Why did I hesitate to delete my local files at first?
I don’t fully trust AI, and neither should you
After I realized how dire the situation was, I immediately opened Google Photos to see exactly how much damage my gallery was doing.
You can easily check this on the main splash screen by tapping your profile icon in the upper-right corner.
In my case, the app revealed that a staggering 135GB worth of media had been consuming my storage.
That didn’t even account for the extra 11GB of freshly shot 4K footage from the last couple of days that hadn’t finished backing up yet, so I was staring at nearly 150GB of memories in total.
If you thought I immediately slammed the delete button, you would be wrong. I actually sat on the decision for an entire day.
My hesitation stemmed from two major concerns.
First, I have read the horror stories about users being permanently locked out of their Google accounts. When a profile gets wrongfully flagged for storing explicit or harmful material, recovering those recordings is nearly impossible.
This happens because AI is constantly running in the background, analyzing your cloud backups for illegal or harmful content. However, this is not always 100% accurate. There were cases of false positives.
While there are a few rare instances in which appeals are approved and accounts are reinstated after an AI mistakenly flags innocent family photos, the vast majority of victims remain permanently locked out.
I could use OneDrive as a backup, but I still wouldn’t feel entirely comfortable trusting another massive corporation with my digital life. Plus, I would miss many Google services I regularly use.
The most logical solution is setting up a personal NAS at home. However, I haven’t fully sold myself on that idea yet, and the upfront hardware cost is a major factor keeping me on the fence.
I’ve used Google Photos since day one, and I’m finally reaching a breaking point
My photo library is too large to manage, with over 1,000 images uploaded this year
There’s a drawback to setting up your memories in the cloud
It’s a trade-off that I’m willing to take
My second major hesitation was the fear of degraded playback quality, especially for videos.
I was worried that viewing cloud-synced media wouldn’t look quite as sharp as watching the locally stored originals.
When you wipe the local copies, you are entirely at the mercy of your internet connection speed and Google’s video player optimization.
Part of me genuinely wanted to test this theory, so I finally took a deep breath and proceeded with the cleanup.
For roughly 135GB of files, the software took about 15 minutes to fully reclaim the space. I imagine the process would have been much faster if my home internet connection had been faster.
To test the quality difference, I downloaded a few sample clips, restored them to their original state, then compared them side by side with the streamed versions.
At first glance, the drop in visual fidelity is incredibly difficult to spot. But upon closer inspection, I noticed that the locally stored videos retained slightly more detail and sharpness.
The cloud-backed versions leaned just a tiny bit mushier. Again, it is a difference you will barely notice unless you actively pause the frame and look for imperfections.
I went into this process highly skeptical, but I ultimately had no choice since my digital workflow is entirely glued to Google’s ecosystem.
Having survived the purge, I can confidently say Google Photos’ cleanup tool is a reliable way to free up a chunk of storage on your phone.
Yes, it has the minor flaw of slightly downgraded video playback compared to native files, but that is a trade-off I am now completely willing to accept (in my current situation).
Besides, if I ever upgrade to a handset with massive storage, or decide to migrate all my photos and videos to a more secure server, there’s always the option to download the originals.
