Google provides each user with 15 GB of free storage space (at least so far) and, if you don’t want to resort to a subscription to increase this amount of storage, you have to learn to make do with Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, etc. When this space runs out, new content stops being automatically saved in the cloud, i.e. on remote servers managed by Google, and you risk losing synchronization of your photos and videos. The problem is particularly felt by those who use Google Photos as the main archive of their digital memories.
However, there are several practical strategies for recovering space without necessarily having to purchase a Google One subscription. You can intervene on the backup quality of new content, compress those already uploaded, eliminate blurry or duplicate photos and convert so-called “moving photos” into static images. Each of these actions, even if taken individually, helps to free up at least a little space. Let’s see how to proceed in detail.
Use the “Save Space” feature
The first intervention that we recommend you implement concerns the quality with which Google Photos backs up new content. In the app settings, under Backup > Backup quality, you can select the “Storage saving” mode: Google automatically compresses the images before uploading them. For photos, the difference in quality is almost imperceptible; for videos, the resolution is reduced to 1080p (a format that is still more than sufficient for viewing on screen). Considering that 4K videos from smartphones typically occupy 300-500 MB per minute (and Full HD videos 100-200 MB/minute), this choice translates into enormous storage savings, especially in the long term.
Retroactively compress photos and videos
However, if the content has already been uploaded in high resolution, Google offers an option to retroactively compress existing photos and videos. You need to access photos.google.com from your computer, click on the gear (top right) to go to the Settings section. Then you need to go to Manage storage space and select the Find out more item (next to Recover storage space). Finally, you need to tick the I am aware that the compression operation of my existing photos and videos is not reversible and start the compression by clicking on the Compress existing photos and videos button. The process takes several hours, but can be started and left running in the background: when finished, potentially several gigabytes are recovered. Keep in mind, however, that the process is irreversible.
Delete heavy content that is not needed
Another useful tool is the storage manager built into the app, accessible from Settings > Backup > Manage Storage. Here Google automatically collects blurry photos, screenshots and other content of little use, ready to be deleted with a few taps. It’s an underrated but very effective feature, especially for those who don’t regularly delete bad photos immediately after taking them.
Reduce “Motion Photos”
Let’s now move on to the so-called “moving photos”, a function available on many Android smartphones (widespread across various manufacturers, from Google Pixel to Samsung to other OEMs) and with an equivalent on the iPhone called Live Photos. This mode records a short video combined with each shot: if the subject is still or the movement does not add value, the resulting file can weigh 20% to 60% more than a normal photograph. By searching for “Moving Photos” in the app’s Search tab, you can locate all these files and export them as still images, then deleting the originals.
Enable the “Group similar photos” option
A final suggestion that we bring to your attention is to activate the “Group similar photos” option in the display settings, more precisely in Settings > Preferences > Series of similar photos. In this way, by browsing your archive on Google Photos, you can more easily identify similar photos by deleting the superfluous ones and keeping only the best version.
