Google Photos storage
Also known as: Google Photos backup storage, Google Photos quota, Google Photos free unlimited
Since June 1, 2021, photos and videos backed up to Google Photos count against the 15 GB of storage shared across your Google Account. The old free, unlimited “High quality” backup ended on that date.
- Backups count toward the 15 GB shared Google Account quota
- Free unlimited High quality ended June 1, 2021
- Cloud quota, separate from phone storage
The end of free unlimited
For years, Google Photos offered unlimited free backup in compressed High quality. That changed on June 1, 2021: every new photo and video, including High quality (now called Storage saver), counts toward your 15 GB shared quota alongside Drive and Gmail.
Items backed up in High quality before that date were grandfathered and generally do not count. Everything uploaded since then consumes shared storage.
Managing the quota
Once 15 GB fills, backups pause until you free space or subscribe to Google One for more. You can recover room by emptying the Bin, removing large videos, and using the app’s tool to clear blurry shots and large items. Note this is cloud quota, separate from your phone’s storage.