Google Photos to end free unlimited storage starting June 1
Google Photos is updating its storage policy starting June 1. The platform currently allows unlimited free storage for photos at High Quality resolution, which will no longer be the case starting next month. Any new photos and videos you upload on Google Photos starting June 1, 2021 will be counted as part of your free 15 GB storage that comes with all Google Accounts. If you have exhausted your 15 GB free storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos you will have to purchase additional storage in order to continue uploading photos at high-resolution.
What happens to existing photos and videos uploaded in High Quality?
Photos and videos that have been uploaded in High Quality before June 1, 2021 will not count towards your 15GB free storage. It will be considered free and exempt from the storage limit set by Google. If you want to cross check your current backup quality you can do so by visiting the back up & sync option in Settings.
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If you have exhausted your 15 GB free storage, you can purchase additional storage to continue backing up content. In India, users can choose from monthly and yearly plans. Google offers 100 GB storage space for Rs 130 per month. If you want more space, Google also has a plan that will offer 1TB of storage space for Rs 650 per month.
Users looking to opt for yearly plans can either get 100 GB per month for one year at Rs 1,300. There is also an offer to get 1TB per month for a year at Rs 6,500. Google has said that it will notify users in the app and subsequently via an email once their 15 GB of free storage is about to get over.
Users can view a personalised estimate on the platform for how long their storage will last. This estimate takes various factors into account. These include how frequently you back up photos, videos and other content to your Google Account.
Google has a new free tool which will help you in easily managing backed up photos and videos. The new option will help you in reviewing which content you want to keep and which you wish to delete.
Users must note that Google has stated that Pixel smartphone users will not be affected by this change. These users will still be able to upload content in High quality from their device even after June 1, 2021 and not worry about buying extra storage.
