Starting July 7, 2026, Google has changed how Android backup data is treated within Google Account storage. All Android backup data — including SMS messages, call history, device settings, and app data — now counts against the free 15GB storage limit that users share across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. The change is live today for new Android users and will roll out to existing users over the coming days.
What Happened
Until now, Android backup data was exempt from Google’s 15GB free storage cap, sitting in a separate bucket that did not affect your visible storage usage. Google has officially closed that exception. According to 9to5Google and Engadget, which both confirmed the change this week, every data category covered by Android backup settings now draws from the same shared pool as your Gmail, Drive files, and Photos library.
The impacted data categories include SMS and MMS messages, call logs, device settings such as Wi-Fi passwords and app preferences, and app-specific backup data. The change does not affect the backups themselves — they will continue to run automatically as before — but storage that previously sat outside your quota will now appear within it.
Alongside this policy change, Google is rolling out new granular backup controls. Users can now disable individual backup categories — SMS history, call history, or device settings — rather than toggling off all backups at once. This is a long-requested feature that gives users meaningful control over what gets backed up and, by extension, what draws from their storage allowance.
Why It Matters
The average Android backup weighs approximately 40MB, according to Google, a figure small enough that most individual users will not notice an immediate squeeze. However, the cumulative picture is more complicated. Power users with years of accumulated app data, families sharing a storage plan across multiple phones, and anyone who has backed up SMS threads stretching back several years could find themselves hitting the 15GB ceiling sooner than they expected.
The timing also coincides with Google’s continued push for its Google One subscription. Removing the backup exemption makes the free tier feel noticeably smaller without Google formally reducing the headline figure, a tactic that nudges storage-constrained users toward paid plans starting at $2.99 per month for 100GB. Android users running newer handsets — including recent mid-range flagships like the Nothing Phone (4b), which generates richer app backup data than older devices — will be among the first to feel this change in practice.
Background and Context
Google originally offered unlimited backup exemption for Android devices at a time when backups were minimal in size and scope. As Android has matured, backup capabilities have expanded substantially, encompassing app states, accessibility preferences, notification settings, and more. The old exemption quietly became increasingly generous from Google’s perspective.
Apple has taken a different approach for years. iCloud backups have always counted against storage limits, though Apple provides only 5GB free — a notably smaller baseline than Google’s 15GB. Apple’s iOS 27, currently in its third developer beta, is expanding iCloud backup scope with new AI-linked data categories. Google’s move brings its storage policy more in line with Apple’s model, though the larger free tier still gives most Android users a practical advantage in day-to-day storage headroom.
What Comes Next
Existing Android users will see the change reflected in their Google Account storage dashboard over the next several days. New users who set up Android backup from today onward will see backup data counted immediately. Google has not announced any grace period or notification system to warn users when backup data tips them over their storage limit.
For users who want to minimise the storage impact without upgrading their plan, Google’s new per-category controls are the most direct tool. Disabling SMS and call log backups — two categories that accumulate steadily over time — can significantly reduce a device’s backup footprint without sacrificing app data or device settings. These controls are accessible under Settings > Google > Backup on most Android devices running recent software.
Critics have already framed the change as a de facto price increase dressed up as a housekeeping update, while Google supporters argue that unified, transparent storage accounting is simply better policy than an invisible exemption most users did not know existed. Either way, the practical advice is the same: any Android user who has not checked their Google storage recently should do so now.
