How to Clear Space on Google Drive

Running out of storage on Google Drive can stop you from sending emails, saving new files, and backing up photos. This guide walks you through finding what is taking up the most space, deleting or moving large files, and emptying the trash so the space is actually freed. You will need a Google account and access to Google Drive on a computer or mobile device.

What You’ll Need

• A Google account (free or paid) with access to Google Drive
• A web browser on a computer, or the Google Drive app on a phone or tablet
• Optional: Google One app (for mobile) to see storage usage at a glance

Step-by-Step

1. Check your current storage usage. Go to drive.google.com and look at the bottom-left corner of the screen. It shows a bar with “X GB of 15 GB used” (or your plan’s limit). On mobile, open the Google Drive app, tap the menu (three lines), then “Storage.”
2. Find the biggest files. In the Drive search bar, type size:1000000 (this finds files larger than 1 MB). To find files over 100 MB, type size:100000000. You can also use the filter button (sliders icon) and select “Size” then “Larger than” and choose a size. The results will list the largest files first.
3. Sort by size in a folder. If you know a specific folder (like “Photos” or “Backups”) is large, open it, click the “Name” column header, and choose “Size” from the drop-down. This sorts the folder’s contents by size.
4. Review and delete unwanted files. Right-click a file or folder and select “Remove.” This moves it to the trash. Be careful: deleting a shared file removes it for everyone. If you are not sure, download the file to your computer first.
5. Empty the trash. This is the step people forget. Deleted files stay in the trash for 30 days and still count against your storage. Click “Trash” in the left sidebar, then click “Empty trash” at the top right. On mobile, tap the menu, go to Trash, tap the three dots, and choose “Empty trash.”
6. Remove large attachments from Gmail. Gmail shares your Drive storage. Search in Gmail for has:attachment larger:10M to find emails with large attachments. Delete them, then empty the Gmail trash (select the trash folder, then “Empty Trash now”).
7. Clean up Google Photos (if linked). If your Google Photos is set to back up in “Original quality,” those photos and videos count against your Drive storage. Use the Google Photos app to delete blurry or unwanted photos, then empty the Photos trash.
8. Use Google One storage manager (optional). Go to one.google.com/storage to see a breakdown of what is using space: Drive, Gmail, and Photos. It also suggests large files and spam to delete.
9. Move files to another service. For files you want to keep but don’t need in Drive, download them to your computer or an external drive, then delete them from Drive. You can also use a free service like Dropbox or OneDrive for archival.

Common Mistakes

• Not emptying the trash. Deleting a file does not free space until you empty the trash. The trash counts against your storage.
• Deleting shared files. If you delete a file that others have access to, it disappears for them too. Always check if the file is shared before removing it.
• Confusing “My Drive” with “Shared with me.” Files shared with you do not count against your storage unless you add them to your Drive (by right-clicking and choosing “Add shortcut”). Removing a shortcut does not free space.
• Forgetting Gmail attachments. Large emails can eat up gigabytes. Search for large emails and delete them.
• Deleting files you still need. Double-check before deleting. If in doubt, download the file first.

Tips

• Use the “Storage” view in Google One. It shows a pie chart of what is using space, making it easier to target the biggest culprits.
• Compress large files. If you have a big video or PDF, compress it before uploading to save space. Use a tool like 7-Zip or an online compressor.
• Export and delete old backups. If you have old WhatsApp backups or app backups in Drive, download them to your computer and delete them from Drive.
• Set up automatic cleanup. In Google Photos, you can enable “Free up space” to delete backed-up photos from your device, but that does not affect Drive storage unless you also delete them from Photos.
• Consider a paid plan. If you consistently run out of space, Google One plans start at 100 GB for a small monthly fee. But first, try the cleanup steps above.

Troubleshooting

I deleted files but my storage still shows the same. Check the trash. Files in the trash count toward your quota. Empty the trash, then wait a few minutes for the storage counter to update.

I can’t find the “Empty trash” button. On the web, go to the Trash folder and look for the “Empty trash” text at the top right. On mobile, tap the three-dot menu at the top of the trash list.

My storage is full but I don’t see any large files. Check Gmail and Google Photos. Use Google One’s storage manager to see the breakdown. Also, check if you have multiple Google accounts; you might be looking at the wrong one.

I accidentally deleted a file. If you just deleted it, go to the trash and restore it. If you emptied the trash, you might be able to recover it within 30 days via the Google One “Restore” feature (if you have a paid plan). Otherwise, it is gone.

Deleting files is not freeing up space. Make sure you are not deleting shortcuts or files that are not yours. Also, check if you have any pending uploads or syncs that are adding new files.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much free storage does Google Drive give?

Every Google account gets 15 GB of free storage shared across Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos (in original quality).

Do files in the trash count against my storage?

Yes, files in the trash count against your quota until you empty the trash. After 30 days, they are permanently deleted automatically.

Can I increase my storage without paying?

You can get free storage by participating in Google’s occasional promotions (like completing a security check), but these are rare. The standard way is to buy a Google One plan.

Does deleting a shared file delete it for everyone?

Yes, if you delete a file you own, it is removed for all people who have access. If you only have edit/view access, you cannot delete it permanently; you can only remove it from your view.

How do I see which files are taking up the most space?

Use the search query size:1000000 to find files over 1 MB, or use the Google One storage manager to see a breakdown by category.

Will deleting Google Photos free up Drive space?

Only if your photos are stored in “Original quality” (which counts toward your 15 GB). If you use “Storage saver” quality, they do not count. Check your Google Photos settings.

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