Google now counts Android device settings toward your 15GB free storage

Google has begun notifying all Android users that device settings backups now count against the shared 15GB free storage pool. Previously, only MMS, media from Google Photos, and some third-party app data (like WhatsApp) consumed this space. The update adds two new categories: Device data (SMS, call history, device settings) and App data (configuration for installed apps). Both toggles are enabled by default, but users can disable them under Settings > Accounts and backup > Google Backup > Other device data. According to Google, the average additional storage used per account is about 40MB—less than a single high-res photo. However, heavy users of app backups or those nearing their 15GB limit may still feel the pinch.

For most users, the change is negligible, but it underscores Google's ongoing push to monetize cloud storage through Google One subscriptions. The upside is a smoother device migration experience: when switching phones, settings and app configurations will now restore automatically, similar to passkeys and biometrics. To save space, users can selectively disable app data backups for large (but still small) culprits like VLC (6.1MB) or turn off the entire feature if they don't plan to upgrade devices soon. The policy shift also aligns with earlier changes that brought WhatsApp backups into the storage quota, making it clearer what counts toward the free tier.