Google Photos is a digital picture storage service that was introduced in May 2015 that lets users back up pictures and movies to the cloud from their computer or mobile device. Afterward, you can organize, customize, and share them from any connected device. It is a useful tool for anyone who wishes to store their entire photo collection in online storage for better accessibility, management and technological integration.
Google Photos has emerged as one of the most popular cloud storage apps for both iPhone and Android users. You can access your saved photos and videos on a PC or mobile web browser by visiting the photos.google.com website. Alternatively, you can download the Google Photos app for iOS and Android.
Google Photo Prices
As of the time this article was published, Google Photos’ pricing is:
- 15 GB for free
- 100 GB costs $1.99/month
- 200 GB costs $2.99/month
- 2 TB costs $9.99/month
However, the most recent news update from Google has indicated that the Google Photos unlimited Storage Service will not be available from June 2021. High-quality pictures and videos stored on the cloud will be included Google Account Payment package. Furthermore, videos that are not supported and that have been added after February 2020 will contribute to your storage quota.
Google Photo Storage Plan
The most amazing feature of Google Photos is that it offers limitless storage space free of charge. This is its unique selling point and what differentiates it from the competition. However, there are some restrictions. Only the pictures and video clips uploaded in Excellent Quality can enjoy free storage space. If your photo or video resolution is higher than 1080p or bigger than 16 MP (megapixels), Google will compress it for you.
For example, if your video clips are larger than 1080p, they can be rescaled to 1080p. Similar to this, all photos bigger than 16MP will have their resolution adjusted. Your high-quality videos and pictures are typically compressed when you upload them to Google Photos.
However, if you wish to store pictures or videos in High Quality, they will add up t to your Google Account storage. Every Google Account is entitled to a free 15 GB of free storage space for use in Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. You will be unable to back up additional images if your storage space is full. If you need extra storage, you have to upgrade your account by buying a storage plan.
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In the next section, we will show you how:
How to change the storage plan of your Google Photos?
In this section, we will analyze how to upgrade your Google Photos storage, and you can buy plans on PC (Windows &Mac) and smartphones.
Without further ado, let’s get started:
Mac or PC
- Ensure you’re logged in to your Google Account.
- On your PC browser, access the Google One website.
- Select your desired storage plan.
- Google One Plans
- Upgrade your iPhone or Android device.
Purchase storage plan via Google One site
- Ensure you have logged in to your Google Account.
- Access the Google One website using your phone’s browser.
- Choose your desired storage plan.
Buy a storage plan using the Google One app
- Ensure your Google Account is properly logged in
- Install and access the Google One app on your phone.
- Tap Storage in the top-left corner before navigating down and selecting More plans.
- Choose your desired storage plan.
Purchase the storage plan using the Google Drive app.
- Install and access the Google Drive app on your phone.
- Select Menu, and now tap on Settings from the upper left corner.
- Select Upgrade Storage. To explore Google Drive storage prices, select a different storage plan and scroll to the bottom.
How to boost your storage space on Google Photos?
Declutter the picture library before you upload them.
You have to reorganize your photo library before uploading your picture to Google Photos to avoid backing up unnecessary images.
Declutter your Gmail account
Because Gmail and Google Photos share storage space, you might want to think about clearing out your inbox because email attachments use plenty of space. Thus, you can create more space by routinely emptying emails and attachments that are no longer valuable.
- Use your desktop browser to access your Gmail account.
- Input the keyword “has:attachment larger:10M” in the search box located at the top.
- Click whichever emails you would like to delete.
- Select the button with the bin icon.
Compress original-quality pictures
If you have previously uploaded any images or videos in their original or highest resolution, you can change them to a high quality to reap the full benefits of the unlimited storage.
- Access the Google Photos Settings section in your browser.
- Select Recover storage.
- Select Compress.