Gmail’s free storage drops to 5GB for new users: Here’s how users can unlock 15GB

Google appears to be testing a major change for new Gmail users. Several users recently noticed that newly created accounts were getting only 5GB of free cloud storage instead of the usual 15GB that Google has offered for years.  Also Read: Google Gemini Spark could turn AI into a real assistant, here’s what it can do

The company has now confirmed that it is testing a different storage policy for new accounts in select regions. However, existing Gmail users with 15GB storage are not being affected right now.  Also Read: Gemini Intelligence explained: How Google plans to redefine Android AI

What Google has said 

According to Google, the company is testing this change to continue offering its storage services while also improving account security and recovery systems.  Also Read: Step-by-step guide to installing iOS 26.5 and turning on encrypted RCS messaging

The company did not officially reveal which regions are part of the test, but most user reports initially surfaced online from some African countries. 

At the same time, Google’s support pages have also quietly changed their wording. Earlier, the page simply mentioned 15GB of free storage. Now, it says users can get “up to 15GB” storage, which hints that the amount may vary depending on the account. 

Why some users are only getting 5GB 

One major reason behind this move could be misuse of free storage. Over the years, many users created multiple Gmail accounts just to get additional free cloud space instead of paying for services like Google One. 

Reddit users claim that new Gmail users are getting lesser storage.

Cloud storage has also become more expensive to maintain. Storage chips and large-scale data centres cost significantly more now compared to a few years ago, especially with growing demand from AI services and cloud platforms. 

Google has already tightened its storage policies before. The company earlier ended unlimited free storage for the Google Photos app as well. 

How users can still get 15GB storage 

The interesting part is that some users are still able to unlock the full 15GB storage after linking their phone number to the account. 

According to online reports, new users first receive 5GB storage while creating the Gmail account. Later, Google prompts them to add a phone number, after which the storage limit increases to 15GB. 

This likely helps Google reduce spam or dummy accounts created only for extra storage space. Phone verification also improves account recovery and security, which is something Google specifically mentioned while talking about the test. 

Existing Gmail users are safe for now 

If you already have a Gmail account with 15GB free storage, there is no indication yet that Google plans to reduce it. 

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Right now, the change appears to be limited to selected new accounts. But since Google has officially confirmed the test, there is always a possibility that the company could expand it to more regions later if the experiment works as expected. The company has still not announced whether this will become the standard storage policy globally.