Google quietly flipped a switch this week that affects every Android user’s cloud storage. Starting July 7, all Android backup data now counts against your Google Account storage cap — not just the photos and videos it used to track.
What Changed
Previously, Android backups only counted images and videos uploaded to Google Photos, plus photo and video attachments inside MMS messages, against your storage limit. Everything else backed up quietly, off the meter.
Not anymore. Your text messages, call history, and even your device settings now get added to the same storage bucket as your free 15GB limit or your paid Google One plan. This is the same shared 15GB pool used by Gmail, Drive, and Photos. Android backups used to sit outside it entirely.
How Much Space Are We Talking About
Not much, according to Google. A company spokesperson said the change is expected to add only about 40MB on average to most users’ backups. Google itself says the typical Android backup is small enough that most people won’t notice a meaningful dip in their available storage.
Who’s Affected, and When
The new rule applies immediately to new Android users, while existing users will see it roll out gradually over the coming months. So don’t panic if your storage numbers haven’t moved yet. It’s coming, just not all at once.
Worth keeping in mind: the storage policy itself went live on July 7, but the new toggles that let you control what’s backed up may take a bit longer to show up. Depending on your phone model and Android version, expect those settings to trickle in over the coming weeks rather than appear overnight.
The Upside: More Control
Google isn’t just taking away the free ride, it’s handing out new controls too. Users are getting on/off toggles specifically for SMS and MMS messages, call history, and device settings, on top of the per-app backup controls that already existed. On most Android devices, you can find these under Settings, then Accounts and backup, then Google Backup, then Other device data. Or just search “backup” in your settings app.
Should You Turn Anything Off?
Honestly, probably not — not unless you’re already running low on space. Think about it: your SMS history, your call logs, your device preferences are exactly what makes switching to a new phone feel painless instead of like starting over from zero. Turning those off just to free up a bit of storage usually isn’t worth what you lose.
One thing to be careful about: switching off a backup category doesn’t just stop future backups, it deletes the existing cloud backup of that data too. So if you flip off call history to save a few MB, your saved call log in the cloud gets wiped, not just paused. If you ever need to restore your phone after that, that data simply won’t be there.
If you’re actually bumping up against that 15GB limit, there’s a better way to handle it. Take a look at your total usage first. Chances are the real culprits are things like Gmail attachments or old Photos backups, not your texts. Clear those out before you even think about touching your backup settings.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t happening in isolation. Google has already been testing a cut from 15GB to 5GB for new accounts without a phone number attached, since May 2026, a sign free cloud storage is getting tighter across the board. And for what it’s worth, Apple isn’t exactly generous either — iCloud still hands out just 5GB free. Microsoft, on the other hand, throws in a full 1TB if you’re already paying for Microsoft 365.
At the end of the day, most people probably won’t even notice this change. But if your Google account has been sitting near full for a while now, it wouldn’t hurt to glance at your storage page before your phone backs up again.
