Less free storage space, if you don't register
For years, 15GB of free storage was standard for every new account. That space is used for services such as Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. However, Google now talks about "up to 15GB" of free storage on support pages instead of a fixed number.
While creating some new accounts, a notification now appears stating that you must first connect a phone number to get the full 15GB free. Without verification, the storage remains limited to 5GB.
According to Google, this step is meant to deter abuse. Using a phone number should prevent people or bots from creating new accounts en masse to collect unlimited free storage.
Interestingly, Google has not really announced this change anywhere big. Only during the registration process is it clearly mentioned that a phone number affects the amount of storage space available. Archive versions of Google pages show that the updated wording appeared around March 2026.
In practice, by the way, it is proving increasingly difficult to create a Google account without a phone number at all. Especially on smartphones, verification is often required immediately. Only in certain situations, such as setting up an Android device without a SIM card, registration without a number still seems possible.
For existing accounts, nothing will change for the time being. The change seems mainly aimed at new users. Still, it does show that free cloud storage is starting to become less obvious. With the growth of AI, cloud services and large data files, the cost of storage is also increasing worldwide.
Via Threads
