Google Photos User Cuts 15GB Storage Strain by Switching Backups to Express
Updated
Updated · Android Police · Jun 21
Google Photos User Cuts 15GB Storage Strain by Switching Backups to Express
2 articles · Updated · Android Police · Jun 21
Summary
A Google Photos user said switching backup quality from Original to Express stopped repeated hits to the 15GB free Google account storage cap.
Original-quality backups were the main culprit: a single premium-phone photo can take about 50MB, meaning 20 photos can consume roughly 1GB.
Express sharply reduces file sizes by compressing photos to 3MP and videos to standard definition, while Storage saver offers a middle ground at 16MP and HD video.
The setting is buried in Google Photos under profile icon, Photos settings, Backup, then Photo and video quality—where users can change the default original-quality option.
The account highlights a broader trade-off in Google Photos: Android’s easiest backup workflow versus aggressive default quality settings that can quickly exhaust free storage.