Google Updates Android Backup Policy to Count All Data Against Storage Quota

Google announced a significant change to its Android device backup policy that will affect hundreds of millions of users worldwide. Previously, only photos, videos, and multimedia messages counted against the free 15GB Google account storage quota, while SMS messages, call history, and device settings were excluded. Starting now, all backup data types, including SMS, call logs, and system settings, will be included in the storage quota alongside Gmail and Google Drive files. This change aims to increase transparency about the data stored in the cloud.

To ease concerns, Google is introducing new control tools allowing users to selectively back up specific data categories. Unlike before, when backups were mostly all-or-nothing, users can now toggle backups for SMS, call history, and device settings independently. Google estimates that the average user will see only a minor increase of about 40 megabytes in their backup storage usage, a small addition relative to the free quota.

Users can access these new backup settings through the "Accounts and Backup" menu on their devices or under "Google Backup" on Pixel phones. Google encourages users to review and customize their backup preferences before the new policy fully rolls out. The update will be gradually implemented for new users enabling backup for the first time, with existing accounts receiving the change over the coming months. Google emphasizes that the goal is to empower users with better storage management options without forcing immediate paid upgrades.