Google Photos will stop offering free storage next year

Google has announced a major change to storage in Photos that will surely disappoint users. Google Photos will not support free storage for high quality (compressed) photos from June 1, 2021. All photos and videos backed up post this date will be added to the free 15GB storage that comes with every Google account.

Google has been offering unlimited storage on Google Photos for compressed but high quality photos. Google said over 4 trillion photos are stored in Google Photos till date, and 28 billion new photos and videos are uploaded every week.

“Since so many of you rely on Google Photos to store your memories, it’s important that it’s not just a great product, but also continues to meet your needs over the long haul,” Shimrit Ben-Yair, Vice President, Google Photos said in a blog post.

The new change affects photos and videos uploaded from June 1, 2021 onwards, and not before that. You will still have all your photos and videos backed up on Google Photos, and you can upload for free till the deadline next year. Also, this does not affect Google Pixel users even after the June 1, 2021 deadline. Google’s 15GB free storage is shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos. Since there’s still six more months, you can use this time to backup your photos and videos.

Google also has this tool to help you figure out how long your 15GB storage can last. Those who would require more than this allotted storage space can opt for Google One paid subscription. Google will also launch a new tool next year for users to easily manage their backed up photos and videos.