Google Cuts Free Storage to 5GB for Unverified Accounts, Keeps 15GB With Phone Verification
Updated
Updated · 9to5Google · May 14
Google Cuts Free Storage to 5GB for Unverified Accounts, Keeps 15GB With Phone Verification
5 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · May 14
New Google accounts can now be capped at 5GB of free storage unless users link a phone number, down from the long-standing 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos.
Google says the phone check ensures free storage is added only once per person, a move aimed at limiting bot abuse and repeated account creation.
Support pages now promise "up to 15GB" rather than a guaranteed 15GB, with archived versions showing the wording changed by March 18, 2026.
Phone verification is already required in most sign-up flows, but edge cases such as setting up an Android phone without a SIM can still bypass it.
The shift aligns Google more closely with rivals' tighter free tiers and comes as storage hardware costs and supply pressures remain a concern.
As AI costs rise, is Google's storage cut signaling the end of the internet's 'free' service era?
Is Google's phone rule truly about security, or is it a calculated push towards paid plans?