Symptoms
- Notification says Google storage is full
- New emails bounce back to senders
- Photos stop backing up to Google Photos
- Google Drive files won't upload
Likely causes
- CommonFree 15GB Google storage used up across Gmail, Photos, and Drive combinedThis storage is shared across all three services, which fills up faster than people expect.
- CommonLarge attachments or old emails consuming significant Gmail spaceYears of email attachments can add up substantially.
- PossibleHigh-resolution photo and video backupsOriginal-quality media backups use much more space than compressed versions.
- PossibleOld or duplicate files sitting in Google DriveUnused files, especially large ones, are easy to forget about.
What to do
- Check storage usage at one.google.com/storage to see what's using the most space.
- Delete large or old emails with big attachments, and empty the Gmail trash and spam folders.
- Review Google Photos for large videos or duplicate images to delete.
- Clean out unused files in Google Drive, especially large videos or old backups.
- Consider a Google One paid storage plan if you consistently need more space.
- Empty the trash in Google Drive and Photos, since deleted items still count until permanently removed.
When to call a pro
This is entirely self-serviceable through Google's account storage management; no professional help is needed.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.