Technology & Gadgets | July 2026 | 4 min read
⚡ Quick Takeaways
- Google will now count all Android backup data toward a user’s Google Account storage allowance.
- The change starts July 7 for new Android backup users and will roll out to existing users in the coming months.
- Google says the average storage impact should be around 40MB because most backups do not include large photo libraries.
- New controls will let users exclude device settings, call history, SMS messages, MMS messages, and selected app data.
- The policy follows a separate regional test in which some new accounts initially receive 5GB instead of the usual 15GB.
Google is changing how Android phone backups use cloud storage, and the update may matter most for users whose free Google storage is already close to full. The company says all data managed through Android backup settings will now count toward the same Google Account storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos.
| July 7 Start date for new Android backup users |
40MB Average extra storage Google expects |
15GB Common free Google Account storage allowance |
What changes for Android backup storage
Under Google’s previous approach, Android backups had a lighter impact on account storage. Most backed-up phone data did not count toward the user’s quota. The main exceptions were media already backed up separately through Google Photos and photos or videos included in MMS backup data.
The updated policy changes that calculation. Google’s storage help page now lists all data managed through Android backup settings as counting toward Google Account storage, including SMS and MMS messages, call logs and history, device settings, and app data. That means Android backups are now part of the same storage pool used by Gmail messages, Google Drive files, and Google Photos backups.
| User impact: This is not a new paid-only backup feature. It changes how existing backup data is counted against the storage quota. |
Why most users may see only a small increase
Google has told technology outlets that the average increase should be about 40MB. That is small compared with the 15GB storage allowance many Google Accounts receive, and far smaller than typical photo or video libraries. The reason is simple: Android system backups usually contain settings, messages, call history, and app-related information rather than the full contents of a phone’s camera roll.
Even so, the change can still matter. A user with only a few hundred megabytes left in Gmail, Drive, or Photos may notice the additional backup data sooner than someone with several gigabytes free. People using multiple Android devices under the same Google Account should also check their usage because storage pressure can build across services and devices.
New backup controls give users more choice
Alongside the storage change, Google is adding clearer backup controls inside Android’s device backup settings. Users will be able to decide whether to include device settings, call history, SMS messages, and MMS messages. They can also continue managing whether data from individual apps is included in cloud backup.
These controls are useful for two reasons. First, they can reduce storage usage by removing categories a user does not need to restore later. Second, they give privacy-conscious users a clearer way to limit the kinds of personal phone data saved in the cloud. The exact menu path may vary by device brand, but Pixel users can typically find backup options through Settings and Google Backup.
| Backup item | Counts now | User control | Likely impact |
| Device settings | Yes | Can be excluded | Usually small |
| Call history | Yes | Can be excluded | Usually small |
| SMS messages | Yes | Can be excluded | Small to moderate |
| MMS messages | Yes | Can be excluded | Can grow with media |
| App data | Yes | Per-app controls | Varies by app |
How this fits into Google’s wider storage policy
The Android backup update comes after another storage-related test by Google. In selected regions, some newly created Google Accounts have reportedly received 5GB of free storage at first, with the full 15GB unlocked after linking and verifying a phone number. Google has described that as a test for new accounts, not a worldwide permanent change for all existing users.
Taken together, the moves show that Google is putting more structure around free storage. For ordinary users, the practical advice is straightforward: check current Google storage usage, review Android backup categories, and delete old Drive, Gmail, or Photos data before the account reaches its limit. If an account goes over quota, Google warns that uploads, photo backups, new file creation, and even Gmail sending or receiving may be affected.
| Bottom line: Keep Android backup on if restore protection matters, but review backup categories if your Google storage is nearly full. |
| Disclaimer: This article is based on available Google help material and current technology reporting. Menu names and rollout timing may vary by device, region, and account. |
