Google May Cut Free 15GB Storage to 5GB Unless You Do This

The good days of getting 15GB of free cloud storage with every new Google account may be numbered. Early signs suggest the company is quietly testing a stricter policy. Some new users aren’t seeing the full allocation during signup, raising concerns about what might come next.

Google appears to be testing reduced free storage for new accounts

A Reddit user found out that Google now offers just 5GB of free storage unless a phone number is added to the account. Users can unlock the full 15GB by verifying their number. It does seem like a move that could limit abuse while subtly pushing more people toward sharing personal information with the platform.

This change has not been officially announced, but subtle wording updates on Google support pages suggest something is shifting. Google now says users can get up to 15GB of storage instead of stating it outright. After some digging, folks over at 9to5Google found out that quiet revision first appeared around March 2026.

In many cases, users are already required to verify a phone number during signup, which makes this change harder to notice. However, there are still scenarios where accounts can be created without verification. Those seem to be where the reduced storage limit is being applied more consistently across regions.

It’s still not clear if this is a wider rollout or just a limited test in select regions. Google hasn’t confirmed anything yet, so details remain unclear. Whatever happens next, we’ll keep tracking the changes and let you know.