Google alerts Android users to major backup storage change
▼ Summary
– Google has begun emailing Android users that, in 45 days, all Android backup data—including SMS, call history, and device settings—will count toward their Google Account storage limit.
– If a user’s account exceeds its storage limit after the change, automatic Android backups will pause until they free up space or upgrade their storage plan.
– The email provides an estimate of additional storage use; for one user, the backup increase was only 0.03GB (around 30MB), consistent with Google’s earlier average of 40MB.
– New granular backup controls for Android 9 and later let users choose exactly which data types and apps are included in backups.
– Users can monitor backup storage via the Google One storage manager and can free up space, purchase more storage, or disable backups entirely if needed.
Google has begun emailing Android users about an upcoming change to its backup storage policy, giving everyone a 45-day warning before the new rules go into effect. The notification follows earlier reports that the company was preparing to count all Android backup data toward the Google Account storage limit, and it now confirms both the policy shift and the rollout of new controls.
According to the email, once the change takes effect, all data included in Android device backups will count against your Google Account storage. While Google Photos uploads and MMS messages already consume storage today, the update extends this to SMS messages, call history, device settings, app settings, and other backed-up data. If your account exceeds its storage limit afterward, automatic Android backups will pause until you either free up space or upgrade your Google storage plan.
The email also provides users with a personalized estimate of how much extra storage their backup will require. In one example, Google reported that the backup would increase by just 0.03GB, or roughly 30MB. That aligns with earlier estimates that the average increase would be around 40MB, making the impact negligible for most users.
Alongside the policy update, Google confirms the arrival of granular Android backup controls. If you are running Android 9 or later, you will be able to select exactly which data types and individual apps are included in your backups. This means you can exclude items you do not want backed up or restored on a future device.
Users can monitor how much space their Android backups consume through the Google One storage manager. From there, they can free up storage, purchase additional Google storage, or disable Android backups entirely if needed. The change takes effect in 45 days, so now is the time to review your backup settings and storage usage.
(Source: Android Authority)
