For the past five years, anyone using Google Photos has had a worry-free life when it comes to storage.

At no cost, the user has been able to save “high quality” images in unlimited quantities.

But soon it will be over. As of June 1, 2021, the Google Photo user is only entitled to 15 GB for free, writes the company. If you want more than that, just pay a penny – and then become a Google One customer. In addition to costing money, Google is also introducing some policy changes.

• Google will delete data from inactive accounts. That is, where the user has not been logged in for two years.
• Photos and documents uploaded before June 1 do not count in the new 15 GB ceiling.
• Owners of Pixel phones are not affected by the new roof. They will also continue to be able to upload high quality images indefinitely at no cost. (Note, not original images, but what Google calls “high quality”).

As you approach the roof

As you approach the storage ceiling, Google will point this out to you. The company will also add new tools to the service that will make it easier for the user to find and delete unwanted images.

Google claims that it will take users an average of just over three years to hit the ceiling. Despite the new ceiling, it offers 10 GB more storage than its competitor Apple, which offers 5 GB of free storage in Icloud.

Why is Google making this change then? The Verge speculates that it may be an attempt to draw more users to the Google One payment service, and thus make more money. But it can also be a way to make the storage service more sustainable in the long run.

In its blog post, the company writes that Google Photo currently stores four trillion images. And every week, 28 billion photos and videos are uploaded. There is a lot to deal with.