Google explains why some Gmail accounts only get 5GB free storage

Google’s 15GB free cloud storage may be going away soon. Several user reports from yesterday claimed that Google is offering only 5GB of free data to new Gmail users. In a statement to Android Authority, Google has confirmed that it is testing this change.

A Google spokesperson said:

We’re testing a new storage policy 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.

While the company didn’t mention which regions are impacted, user reports from yesterday were mostly from African countries. That said, if Google’s tests prove successful, this could possibly become the norm for new sign-ups in more regions.

The company could be testing ways to discourage users from creating multiple Gmail accounts to access free cloud storage. However, if you already have a Gmail account with 15GB free storage, it shouldn’t be impacted by this change.

The language on Google’s support page mentions “up to 15GB of storage.” However, it’s a recent change. An archived version of the support page from February did not use the words “up to.”

Whether the test has been running since early March or Google updated its language before it ever started the test, it’s evident that the company could roll out the change globally as well.