Gmail's 15GB Era Fading? Google Explains 5GB Storage Cap for New Accounts
The era of 15GB of free cloud storage with every new Gmail account by default could be quietly ending, at least for some users. Google has confirmed it is testing a new policy that gives new users in specific regions only 5 gigs by default unless they verify their account with a phone number, which then unlocks the full 15GB.
In a statement to Android Authority, Google explained that the new storage policy is a test for "for new accounts created in select regions that will help us continue to provide a high-quality storage service to our users, while encouraging users to improve their account security and data recovery."
Google frames the phone number requirement as a security incentive rather than a storage cut, though the practical effect is that users who don't want to share their phone number face a 67% reduction in free storage.
The change is already visible in Google's updated support documentation. The language has shifted from "Your Google Account comes with 15GB of cloud storage at no charge" to "up to 15GB of cloud storage at no charge." The same updated language now appears on the page explaining how Google storage works, too.
It remains unclear whether this is a permanent policy change or an A/B test limited to target regions, as Google has not given more clarification on the matter, although it does seems like existing Gmail accounts won't be affected.
But why is Google actually testing this in the first place? We wager this as combating against spam accounts. Google is reportedly unhappy with thousands of new accounts created daily solely to game the storage system, with spammers opening multiple accounts to get fresh 15GB allotments. Requiring phone verification raises the barrier to mass account creation while simultaneously strengthening security through two-factor authentication readiness.
