How Many Gigabytes of Media Do You Have in Google Photos?

Cheers to June 1, 2021, when changes to Google Photos’ storage policy rolled out, making those precious photos and videos count toward the generous 15GB free storage that comes with every Google Account or the additional space purchased as part of the Google One.

Understanding Your Storage

Many users, like myself, aren't just uploading to Google Photos for the convenience. Instead, we utilize the integration with Google Drive and Gmail. This means that the storage usage can be accessed from multiple entry points within your Google Services. Despite the seamless integration, if you are solely seeking to know how much space your personal media occupies, this guide will help clarify the process.

Visibility of Your Media

While Google Photos updates are pushed out to provide better insights, some users primarily interact through social media or specific community groups. You might find that most of your media content is safely stored in secure locations like Google Drive, with some behind user IDs and passwords, verified emails, or temporary tokens. This approach ensures that your content is accessible only to those who need it, enhancing privacy and security.

Checking Your Photo Storage

Want to see how much Google Photos is contributing to your total storage usage? Here’s a straightforward method:

Open Google Photos. Tap the three vertical bars in the top left corner to access the Settings. Choose Back up sync to view your current storage usage.

However, if you have opted for the high quality option during photo uploads, the storage breakdown might be less intuitive. This feature compresses photos more efficiently, meaning they take up less space in your Google Drive allocation. But when you request a Google Takeout, the total size of your photos could reveal a larger storage footprint than initially thought.

What Counts as Storage Usage?

Google Photos explicitly shows you how much free drive space remains, but it doesn't break down the space used by photos alone. To get a comprehensive overview of your media consumption, follow the steps mentioned earlier.

For those seeking to quantify their media storage, the process is straightforward. By navigating through the settings and checking Back up sync, you can get a clear idea of how much of your 15GB or more is being utilized by Google Photos.

Remember, while Google Photos and other media-sharing platforms are wonderful tools, the core of your media may remain elsewhere. Secure storage practices are always a good idea, especially when dealing with high-value or private content.