Google has begun requiring new account holders in certain regions to link a phone number to receive the full 15 GB of free shared storage on GmailGoogle Drive and Google Photos. Accounts without a linked phone number are limited to 5 GB.
In mid-March, Google quietly updated its wording on included storage, replacing the previous unconditional 15GB statement with “up to” 15GB.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to How-To Geek that the company is testing this new storage policy for new accounts in some regions. Google did not specify which regions are currently affected.
Why Google links 15GB of free storage to phone number verification
Google says the phone number requirement exists to ensure that the 15GB of free storage is added once per person. The policy aims to stop a long-standing pattern of users creating multiple accounts to combine free storage and avoid paying for Google One subscriptions.
The company claims that this change will help continue to provide a high-quality storage service and encourage users to improve their account security and data recovery methods.
AI tools and automation have made it easier to expand abuse across multiple accounts, including potential use by malware operators who could store stolen data in free accounts without paying.
This change also helps Google manage storage infrastructure costs, especially at a time when DRAM and NAND prices have increased significantly due to demand from artificial intelligence applications.
What new Google users should know about the storage change
For new account registration in affected regions, users have two options: they can link a phone number during setup to receive the full 15 GB of free storage or skip the phone link and accept a 5 GB storage limit.
Existing Google accounts created before the policy change are not affected, according to current reports.
Google has not clarified whether the policy will be rolled out to additional regions or whether existing accounts could eventually face similar requirements.
Privacy and practical concerns around Google’s new storage policy
The change affects users who prefer not to share their phone numbers with the main platforms. While Google offers two-factor authentication without a phone number through authenticator apps, its storage policy specifically requires a number for full access.
Small business owners who create separate accounts for work-related storage may also encounter difficulties, especially if they want to keep their personal phone numbers separate from their professional accounts.
Google One subscriptions start at $20 per year for 100GB, offering an alternative for users who prefer not to share a number or need more than 5GB of storage.
Google has not provided a timeline for when the policy could be expanded beyond the current testing regions or if the 5GB limit for unlinked accounts will be changed.
