How to Solve the Storage Issue on Google Drive for Good

Why is My Google Storage Full

Seeing your Google storage full warning can be frustrating, especially when your Drive appears mostly empty. If Google says your storage is full, the issue often comes from how Google shares storage space across its services, including Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.

So, if you are wondering, "Why is my Google storage so full even after deleting files"? Here are the most common reasons:

✉️ Gmail attachments and emails – Large files in your inbox still count toward your storage.

📸 Google Photos stored in original quality – These take up more space than you may realize.

🗑️ Files in Trash – Deleted items still use space until you empty the Trash.

💾 Mobile backups – Android backups or app data like WhatsApp can quietly take up storage.

📱 Shared files and hidden app data – Files you created and shared still count, and some app data isn't visible by default.

How Much Memory in Google Drive Do You Have

Google Drive provides 15 GB of free storage, which counts toward your overall Google storage quota shared across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. This means your available space depends on all these services combined.

If you reach your Google Drive storage limit, you can upgrade to paid plans starting at 100 GB for more capacity. To see how much free space you have left, simply check your Google One storage page or account settings. Keeping an eye on your storage helps you avoid interruptions and ensures you can continue saving important files without hassle.

How to Free Up Space in Google Drive to Fix Storage Issues

When you approach your Google Drive space limit, taking steps to free up storage becomes essential. Here are practical tips to help you clear unnecessary files and avoid interruptions in your account.

• Way 1. Compress Photos Storage
• Way 2. Clear Your Gmail
• Way 3. Delete Useless or Large Files
• Way 4. Empty Drive Trash
• Way 5. Delete Hidden App Data
• Way 6. Backup Files From Google Drive to Another Cloud

Way 1. Compress Photos Storage

One easy way to manage your Google Drive capacity is by compressing your photo storage. Google Photos lets you choose the "Storage saver" mode, which reduces the file size of your photos and videos without a noticeable loss in quality. This can free up a significant amount of space compared to storing images in their original quality.

If you have many photos and videos backed up, compressing them helps you maximize your available Google Drive capacity and keep your account running smoothly without hitting storage limits.

🔍 To effectively clear space in Google Drive, follow these simple steps to compress your photos: 

Step 1. Go to the Google Photos page, and click Photos to show all your uploaded pictures.

Step 2. Click to open Photos Settings and select High Quality.

Step 3. Hit the Recover storage position. Then, click the Compress button on the pop-up screen.

The time of this process depends on the number of photos to be compressed and network stability.

Way 2. Clear Your Gmail

Another effective method to clear Google Drive storage is by managing your Gmail inbox. Since your storage is shared across Drive, Gmail, and Photos, large emails and attachments can take up significant space. Deleting unnecessary emails and emptying the Trash will help you free up space quickly. Regularly cleaning your Gmail can greatly contribute to reducing your overall storage usage and keeping your Google Drive storage under control.

🔍 Here’s how to clear Google Drive space by deleting large emails in Gmail:

Step 1. Open your Gmail main page, type "has: attachment larger: 10M" (no quotes) in the Gmail search bar, and click Search to execute it.

Step 2. Select those files you’d like to remove and click Delete.

Step 3. To completely clear these files, make room for new items, click the More button on the left sidebar, and hit Bin. Then, click on Empty Bin now to press OK.

Way 3. Delete Useless or Large Files

When your storage space is running out, deleting useless or large files becomes crucial. Unnecessary documents, videos, and backups can quickly fill up your Google Drive. By sorting files by size and removing those that take up the most space, you can free up storage efficiently. Regularly clearing out unwanted files helps prevent hitting your storage limits and keeps your Drive organized and easy to manage.

🔍 Follow these quick steps to learn how to empty Google storage:

Step 1. Visit the Google Drive website and log in to your Google account.

Step 2. Click My Drive to see all the items you stored on Google and select a single file or a bunch of items you want to delete. Right-click and choose the Remove option.

Way 4. Empty Drive Trash

Many users overlook the fact that deleted files in Google Drive are not gone immediately—they stay in the Trash and continue to use space. This often results in a Google account storage full warning, even when it seems like you've removed large files.

To truly free up storage, you must permanently delete those trashed items. Emptying the Trash is a quick but powerful way to reclaim space and avoid running into storage limits. Making this a regular habit helps keep your account clean, organized, and fully functional.

🔍 Follow these simple steps to learn how to clean Google Drive:

Step 1. Navigate to Google Drive and open it. Click the Trash button on the left panel.

Step 2. Click the Trash drop-down menu to hit Empty trash and select Delete forever.

Way 5. Delete Hidden App Data

Hidden app data often goes unnoticed, but it can be a major reason for your storage running out in Google Drive. Many connected apps store background files or settings that aren’t immediately visible to you. Over time, this hidden data can build up and take a surprising amount of space. Deleting it not only frees up storage but also helps keep your Drive more organized.

It’s a smart move to regularly check which apps have access to your Drive and remove any that are no longer needed. This simple step can prevent storage issues and keep your account running smoothly.

🔍 Follow these steps to learn how to free Google Drive space:

Step 1. Go to the Google Drive main page, click the gear icon in the upper right corner, to click on the Settings option.

Step 2. Click Manage Apps. Click the Options button next to the app you find with hidden data and tap Delete hidden app data.

Way 6. Backup Files From Google Drive to Another Cloud

When your storage space is nearly full, smart solutions go beyond just deleting files. One effective way to handle Google storage management tasks is by backing up files from Google Drive to another cloud platform. This helps free up space while keeping your important data safe.

A powerful tool like CBackup makes this process easy. It allows you to back up or sync files across different cloud drives, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Whether you're moving files between platforms or organizing multiple accounts, CBackup provides a seamless way to manage and protect your cloud data. After backing up, you can delete files from Google Drive to reclaim space without the risk of losing anything important. 

🔍 If your Google account storage is full, follow these steps to back up files with CBackup and free up space:

Step 1. Get started to create an account for free. Download the CBackup app on your PC and sign in.

Step 2. Add Google Drive and OneDrive to CBackup by clicking Storage > select Google Drive and hit Authorize Now to finish the authorization. And click on + Add Cloud and repeat the step to add OneDrive.

Step 3. Click on Backup on the left panel and tap the Backup Public Cloud to Public Cloud button.

Step 4. Modify Task Name if necessary, and select Google Drive as the backup source. Then, choose OneDrive, Dropbox, or another Google Drive account as the backup destination.

Step 5. Click Start Backup to carry out the data migration.

If you don’t transfer files to OneDrive, it is easy to migrate files from Google Drive to Dropbox with CBackup. You can figure out what to do in this article.

How to Solve the Storage Issue on Google by Adding More Space

You might try all the options on how to free up space on Google Drive, but if your storage still runs low, increasing your plan is the next step. Let’s explore how to add more space and what the Google Drive max storage allows.

• Way 1. Upgrade to a Google One Plan
• Way 2. Use a Non-Profit Workspace Account
• Way 3. Combine Cloud Storage with Tools Like CBackup

Way 1. Upgrade to a Google One Plan

Many users turn to the Google Drive add storage option when space runs out. Google One offers several upgrade plans to suit different needs, each with varying capacities and use cases:

➤ 100 GB – Ideal for casual users who mostly store documents, spreadsheets, and occasional photos.

➤ 200 GB – A good choice for families or individuals who back up photos regularly and need a bit more room.

➤ 2 TB – Recommended for heavy Google Drive users, such as content creators, freelancers, or professionals managing large files.

➤ 5 TB and above (10 TB / 20 TB / 30 TB) – Best for users with massive storage needs, like video editors, businesses, or those using Drive for large-scale backups.

In addition to more space, Google One plans include family sharing, priority support, and extra features in Google Photos. Choosing the right plan depends on your storage habits and how actively you use Google Drive across devices.

🔗 Related Post: >> How to Get More Google Storage for Free

Way 2. Use a Non-Profit Workspace Account

This second option works well if you belong to a verified non-profit organization. However, it’s not available for personal use—don’t try to cheat the system. If Google finds out you’re violating the terms, they may terminate your account and erase your stored data.

📢 Note: Skip this section if it doesn’t apply to you.

Google Workspace offers special plans for nonprofits. The free Google Workspace for Nonprofits tier provides each user with 30 GB of storage, doubling the standard Google Drive space limit of personal accounts. To qualify, your organization must be a registered charity, verified by TechSoup or Percent, and not fall under excluded categories like hospitals, schools, or government bodies. Eligible nonprofits can apply online to access this storage boost.

Way 3. Combine Cloud Storage with Tools Like CBackup

When you encounter messages like Google account storage full or reach your Google Drive storage limit, leveraging the power of combined cloud storage can be a game-changer. Tools like CBackup allow you to connect multiple cloud accounts—such as several Google Drive accounts, OneDrive, and Dropbox—into one unified platform.

This combined cloud feature lets you manage and use all your storage space across different services seamlessly, without juggling separate accounts. You can back up, sync, and transfer files directly between clouds, freeing up space and avoiding the hassle of downloading and re-uploading files. For users dealing with large data or multiple accounts, CBackup offers a flexible and cost-effective solution to maximize storage capacity so that you can get Google Drive unlimited storage.

🔍 Are you seeing a Google storage full message? Here’s a simple guide to increase your storage using CBackup.

Step 1. Run the CBackup client and sign in to it.

Step 2. Go to the Storage tab, and hit + Add Cloud to add and authorize all your Google accounts to CBackup.

Step 3. Click on + Add Combined Cloud, and tick all of your clouds to click Next. Then, tap on Combine.

Step 4. Then, you can tap on Backup > Backup PC to Combined Cloud to enjoy the huge Google space freely.

Conclusion

In this post, we explored practical solutions for how to solve the storage issue on Google, including understanding how much free space on Google Drive you have and effective ways to free up space. You discovered simple steps on how to empty Google Drive by deleting unnecessary files, clearing trash, and managing Gmail storage.

For those needing more space, upgrading your plan or using multiple cloud accounts with tools like CBackup can help. Applying these tips will keep your Google Drive organized and prevent storage limits from disrupting your workflow.

Discover More Solutions for Storage Space Running Out

Beyond the basics, here are further steps to take when dealing with storage running out on your device or account.

How to Fix the Issue When You Have Space on Google Drive But Still Can’t Upload?

When you encounter the issue where you have enough space on Google Drive but still can’t upload files, it can be frustrating. This problem often occurs due to connectivity issues, file size limits, browser cache problems, or permission restrictions. To fix this, follow these simple steps to troubleshoot and resolve the upload error.

Step-by-step tutorial:

1. Check your internet connection to ensure it is stable and fast enough for uploading files.
2. Clear your browser cache and cookies to remove any corrupted data interfering with uploads.
3. Try uploading the file using a different browser or the Google Drive desktop app to rule out browser-specific issues.
4. Verify file size and type, ensuring your file does not exceed Google Drive limits or violate any restrictions.
5. Check folder permissions to confirm you have upload access, especially if you’re working in a shared Drive.

How to Fix Google Giving Me Wrong Google Drive Size?

If Google is showing the wrong Google Drive size, it can cause confusion about your actual storage usage. This issue may happen due to syncing delays, cached data, or temporary glitches in Google Drive’s reporting. To fix this problem and get accurate storage information, try the following steps.

Here’s how to fix it in 5 steps:

1. Refresh your Google Drive page or log out and log back in to force the system to update.
2. Clear your browser cache and cookies to remove outdated data that might cause incorrect size display.
3. Check Google Drive on a different browser or device to see if the issue persists.
4. Review your Google Drive Trash and Shared Drives, as deleted or shared files might still count towards storage.
5. Use Google One Storage Manager to get a detailed and updated view of your storage usage.

How to Free Up Space in Google Photos?

Running out of space in Google Photos can prevent new backups and slow down your account’s performance. High-resolution photos and videos often consume the most storage, especially when backed up from multiple devices. To keep your Google Photos storage under control and avoid interruptions, try the following method to free up space without losing your important memories.

Follow these easy steps:

1. Open Google Photos and go to Settings.
2. Use the Storage management tool to review large photos and videos.
3. Delete unwanted or duplicate photos and videos.
4. Empty the Trash to permanently remove deleted items.
5. Consider changing the upload quality to Storage saver to reduce future storage use.

How to Fix Google Drive Not Working?

If Google Drive does not work, the issue might be more than just a connection glitch. One common cause is the warning: "storage space running out, some system functions may not work." This means your Google account is low on storage, which can prevent Drive from syncing, uploading, or even opening files properly. Fortunately, you can fix it with a few simple steps.

Follow these steps to resolve the issue:

1. Check your storage status at Google One to see if space is full.
2. Clear unused files from Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.
3. Empty the Trash in Drive to free up additional space.
4. Restart your browser or app, and sign in again to refresh the session.
5. Upgrade your storage plan or use a tool like CBackup to combine cloud space if needed.

These steps should help restore normal function when Google Drive does not work due to storage space running out.