Google provides 15GB of free cloud storage to each account, shared across services such as Gmail, Drive, Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Gemini. Third-party services like WhatsApp also draw from this allocation.

Key takeaways:

Android settings backups now count against the 15GB free storage limit.
The added usage per user averages only about 40MB.
Users can reduce consumption by turning off unneeded app backups.

Google has revised its support documentation and notified users by email about the policy shift that brings Android device settings into the 15GB pool. Options to address this include buying extra storage through Google One, refining backup choices for efficiency, or relying on local backups stored on external devices.

Policy update adds only modest storage demand

On an Android device, navigate to Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data to view toggles for individual backup items stored in the shared space.

Before this update, only MMS data and media selected for Google Photos backup appeared here. Other device settings did not consume the pool.

The revised policy introduces two new categories: SMS, call history, and device settings grouped under Device data, plus configuration details for installed apps listed under App data. Each category includes its own toggle, and most were enabled by default. This change simplifies moving apps and preferences to new or additional devices, similar to how passkeys streamline sign-ins.

The standard Android setup process already transfers apps, contacts, and core items. With the update, app configuration details should restore more completely on a replacement device.

Third-party backups such as those from WhatsApp, which began counting toward storage earlier in 2024, now compete for space within the free 15GB tier.

Backing up photos and videos, retaining emails with large attachments, or saving numerous chat messages can exhaust the allocation quickly. The app data list sorts items by space used, and the largest example observed was VLC at 6.1MB. All other apps required far less. Notifications from Google typically report a total increase of roughly 0.1GB.

The company estimates an average rise of 40MB per user, though individual results vary based on usage patterns. Check any received email for bold text that shows current storage, the added amount from the change, and remaining free space.

Storage optimization can help avoid paid plans

If the added usage creates issues or you are not yet a Google One subscriber, reducing consumption is straightforward. Disable the new toggles if a device upgrade is not planned soon, since the backup proves most valuable during phone loss or migration.

Select only the app data you intend to carry forward. Disable Google Photos cloud backup and route media to a local NAS or self-hosted solution instead. In WhatsApp, turn off video inclusion under chat backup settings. Lower-resolution options in the Photos app further reduce usage when cloud backups remain necessary.

Regularly empty email trash and filter messages containing attachments first. When cloud storage cannot be used for migration, third-party apps or on-device backups to external storage provide alternatives, sometimes requiring ADB setup. Certain manufacturers also include built-in local backup features in their software.