How to Get More Google Storage for Free [Updated for 2025]

How to Fix Google Drive Full Storage

If you find yourself running out of space on Google Drive, don’t worry—you’re not the only one! The great news is that resolving this issue is a breeze. In this section, we’ll guide you through the process of freeing up space on Google Drive by removing large files, tidying up hidden clutter, and utilizing built-in tools to quickly and effectively reclaim your storage.

Free Up Space by Clearing Old and Hidden Files

Over time, your Google Drive can silently fill up with old, unused, or hidden files, like large PDFs, outdated backups, shared documents, or media you forgot about. Even items in the Trash still count toward your storage limit until permanently deleted. By locating and removing these files, you can quickly recover valuable storage without upgrading your plan.

If you need to free up space for Google Cloud storage, here are some tips for you:

1️⃣  Empty your Google Drive Trash.

2️⃣ Remove hidden data from the app in Google Drive.

3️⃣ Permanently delete unnecessary files in Google Drive.

4️⃣ Delete useless messages and attachments in Gmail's Trash or Spam folders.

5️⃣ Remove Shared folders and files from Google Drive.

Save Space by Compressing and Archiving Old Files

If you have files that you don’t access often but still want to keep around, it's recommended to compress and archive them to free up space on Google Drive. 

For instance, when you want to get more space in Google Photos, there's a handy feature that lets you switch from original quality to high quality, which helps compress your images. You only need to go to Google Photos settings, tap the Recover Storage button, and hit Compress to compress original items to high quality.

Notes:✎...

The two methods above are great for quickly freeing up space on Google Drive, especially when you need to save important files but are running low on storage. However, they don’t give you more Google storage. If you truly need additional space, the next section will show you how to get free Google Drive storage beyond the standard limit.

How to Increase Google Drive Storage for Free?

In this section, we’ll explore creative and lesser-known methods to expand your storage for free, as well as affordable paid options if you're ready to upgrade.

Method 1. Merge Google Accounts to Increase Google Cloud Storage

Here we will show you the most effective way to increase Google Drive space for free first. How to increase Google Drive storage for free?

If you don’t want to upgrade Google Drive right now and get more Google Drive storage space, it’s strongly recommended to try the free cloud backup service, CBackup, to merge multiple Google Drive accounts to extend Google Drive storage for free. If you have enough Google Drive accounts, you could get 100 GB free cloud storage, or even unlimited cloud storage.

And then you could back up files to Google Hybrid Cloud with CBackup. And it supports Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc., and FTP or SFTP.

Step 1. Add Google Drive Accounts to CBackup

1. Please create a new CBackup account for free and sign in to the CBackup desktop app.

2. Select the Storage tab on the left, then choose Google Drive, and click Authorize Now. Then follow the guide to grant authority to CBackup, which allows CBackup to access your Google Drive files.

3. Edit the Cloud name and Storage path for the added Google Drive, and tick the option “Note: Please don't modify or delete the CBackup path or backup files in your Google Drive account”, and click OK.

4. Repeat the process of Steps 2 and 3 to add more Google Drive accounts.

Step 2. Extend Google Drive storage for Free

Now you could increase Google Drive space through the following steps:

1. Tap Storage > + Add Combined Cloud.

2. Rename the combined cloud, tick all your Google Drive accounts you added before, and click Next.

3. Choose the Google Drive account priority to store files, hover over the Google Drive you want to change priority, tap the up triangle icon or down triangle icon to set the priority, and hit Combine.

Now, your Google Drive storage has been increased for free with CBackup, which is a Google combined cloud listed under Storage.

CBackup not only combines multiple accounts of one cloud but also combines different clouds, and you could transfer files from one cloud drive to another, like transfer OneDrive to Google Drive, sync Dropbox to Google Drive, etc.

Method 2. Get More Google Storage with a Non-Profit Workspace Account

Google offers Google Workspace for Nonprofits, a powerful solution for eligible organizations that comes with extra perks, including more storage. Approved nonprofits can access Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Meet, with increased storage limits compared to personal accounts.

This method is ideal for legitimate nonprofit teams needing more cloud storage at no cost.

Method 3. Use Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals for More Space

If you’re a student, teacher, or part of an educational institution, Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals can be a great way to access more storage for free. This version of Google Workspace is designed for schools and universities and typically offers pooled storage across the institution, often more than what individual free accounts receive.

If you're part of a school or university that uses Google Workspace, this is a reliable way to enjoy more storage without upgrading your account.

Method 4. Get More Google Storage with a Paid Plan

Apart from the methods above, if you still want more space, you can also buy more storage on Google Drive through a Google One subscription—a simple and effective solution.

Google Drive offers you different plans to meet different demands, and you can increase your storage with a payment. The Google Drive Plans are listed below:

You could feel free to choose a suitable plan to upgrade Google storage if you have enough budget. 

Conclusion

How to get free Google storage? In this post, we introduced several methods of cleaning up the Google Drive and expanding its storage space. 

In addition to combining the cloud drives to give you more storage space, CBackup also offers you a secure and cost-effective cloud-to-cloud sync & backup feature. It provides you with different CBackup plans to meet your various needs.

FAQs About Increasing Google Drive Storage

Still have questions about how to get more Google storage or manage your Drive space effectively? Below are some frequently asked questions that can help clear up common concerns and guide you through specific situations.

1. How to Increase Gmail Storage for Free?

If you're wondering how to increase space in Gmail for free, it's a good choice to delete large or unnecessary emails, especially those with attachments. You can also clear out your Spam and Trash folders, and delete any files you no longer use in Google Drive and Photos. Since Gmail shares storage space with Drive and Photos, freeing up some room in those areas can really help increase your available Gmail storage without an upgraded plan.

2. How to Increase Google Photos Storage for Free?

To increase Google Photos storage for free, follow these steps:

Step 1. Go through your photos and delete anything you don’t need—blurry images, duplicates, or large videos.

Step 2. Open Google’s Storage Manager to quickly find and remove files taking up the most space.

Step 3. Switch your upload settings to Storage Saver instead of Original quality. This reduces file sizes and helps you store more without paying.

These steps can free up space and keep your Google Photos organized.

3. How to Get Free Storage in Google Drive Without Paying

There are a few ways to get free storage in Google Drive without paying:

• First, delete old or large files, empty your Trash, and clear space in Gmail and Google Photos, since all three share the same storage.
• Second, convert uploaded files to Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides—these formats don’t count against your storage.
• Third, consider using a school or nonprofit Workspace account, which often comes with more free storage.

These tips can help you maximize space without spending a dime.