Why is my Google Drive Storage Still Full After Deleting Everything?

Article Summary

• Google storage breaks itself up: Google does this so that it can share your allocated 15GB of storage across services like Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos all at once. Thus, any files in those services will combine into the 15GB.
• Deleted files will still take up some of the space: The items you moved to trash will still take up space until they are permanently deleted. It may also take up to 48 hours before the storage meter is updated to reflect the newly freed space.
• Larger files often are in Gmail, and Google Photos: Videos, attachments, and high-resolution photos often take a lot more space than you think.
• Duplicated files and other backup files accumulate: When you have multiple versions due to automatic app backups, this can use up storage space.
• Regular cleaning of your files: Ensuring you regularly delete unnecessary files and attachments can prevent your storage from reaching capacity again.  

When you refresh your Google Drive storage after a mass deletion spree, you’re likely thinking ‘wow, I sure am going to have a lot of space now,’ only to be left shocked when things more or less look the same. Unfortunately, this situation happens all too often, and it can leave many of us despondent because the space we thought we made doesn’t exist.

If this is something you’re experiencing, it can have you questioning if you’re deleting things the wrong way. You might also be wondering if there’s a system bug preventing you from freeing up storage space. The answer to both thought pathways is likely a ‘no.’ No, you’re not deleting things incorrectly, and no, there isn’t a bug. The issue is how Google manages storage across its services and how the files you delete are processed.​

So, with this in mind, we’re breaking things down. Our team at My Computer Works is going to give you the lowdown on Google Drive storage so that you have a better understanding of how to free up space and prevent recurring storage issues.

Google Drive Storage Explained: Understanding What You Need to Know

So you know now that Google Drive storage doesn’t separate across services. This means that Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Docs all share the base 15GB of free storage.

​Each of these parts contributes to the collective storage, which means photos, videos, documents, and files can take up more space than you realize.

So if you think it’s your Gmail or Google Photos that are the culprit, there’s a high chance it’s not just these. It’s the collective.

How Much Free Storage Do You Get?

As we mentioned above in passing, when signing up, Google will always provide you with 15GB of free storage that will be shared across three main services that they provide:

• Google Drive
• Gmail
• Google Photos

As you can imagine, since these three Google services intermingle storage-wise, you run out of space faster than you would expect. Now we know it can be a headache to organize and clear space, especially when services are interconnected (which usually makes life easier, we’d like to add), but it has to be done.

Google Drive Storage Still Full? Why Google Drive Fills Up So Fast

There are a few file types that could be consuming a lot of your Google Drive storage space. One of the biggest contenders is, surprisingly, email attachments, because every attached file counts towards your storage limit.

Videos and HD photos also take up a lot of space, and videos in particular are the biggest storage thieves, especially when they are long and high-quality. Additionally, any large files with duplicated photos or documents also quickly pile up if you don’t stay on top of them.

Some apps also automatically back up files to Google Drive, so go through your storage regularly and delete anything you no longer need. This is often the reason users report that their Google Drive is full after deleting files. Lastly, don’t forget that your backups and synced data can also be taking up a lot of space.

Why Your Google Drive Still Shows As Full

So you took the time to delete files, but are internally fuming because you haven’t reclaimed as many GBs as you thought you would. Steady now, we don’t need to panic just yet.

Nine times out of ten, the storage bar is still claiming it’s full because the files are sitting in the trash folder, which still consumes storage space, leading people to think their Google Drive storage is not freeing up. Here’s the low-down:

Files Aren’t Permanently Deleted Right Away

When you delete a file on your Google Drive, it hasn’t technically been deleted properly. Instead, the file is moved to the Trash folder, where it will be kept for 30 days before being automatically removed.

It’s designed this way to give you the chance to restore it should you have accidentally deleted it. Until you press the ‘Empty Trash’ button, those files will continue to take up space for at least 30 days, which is why many users discover their Google Drive trash is still taking up space.

Deletions Take Time To Process

So what happens after you’ve pressed the Empty Trash button or have waited the 30-day period, but your storage bar hasn’t budged?

Unfortunately, this will require additional patience, as the update to your storage bar may take up to 48 hours to process. This is especially true for large files.

So if asking ‘how long does Google Drive take to update storage’ is on the tip of your tongue, just wait a little while longer before voicing your concerns to a tech professional.

How To Clear Google Drive Storage

Here are a few super-easy steps you can follow to free up space and ensure your account updates correctly in a day or two:

Empty The Trash In Google Drive

Let’s first address one of the main reasons storage space is being used. The Trash Folder.​

Here are the steps you need to take in order to permanently delete files.

1. Open Google Drive.
2. Go to the Trash folder.
3. Select files you no longer want or need.
4. Click the Empty Trash button on the left.

Check For Duplicate Files

As mentioned, duplicate files are also a culprit in consuming all your storage space, and they arise when some apps save multiple versions of the same file.

So, it is essential that you sort your files by size and sort through the larger ones. Anything that looks like a duplicate should be deleted. You know the process; you just have to make time to go through and delete things.

Give Google Time To Update

Patience is a virtue, and one many of us forget to have. After you have deleted any unnecessary files and cleared your Trash folder, these are the next steps:

• Wait 24 to 48 hours (like we said earlier).
• Refresh your storage page.
• Log out of your Google account and then log back in.

Clean Up Google Photos

We are all guilty of photo hoarding every now and then, and because Google Photos shares a single storage pool, cleaning it out can make a difference.​

First, begin deleting photos and any videos you don’t need, yes, that includes all those TikTok videos you downloaded just to post on your social media status. This can clear up a bulk of storage space. Just remember to clear the Trash when you are done.

Clean Up Gmail

As we mentioned, all those unread emails with attachments are taking up more space than they should. So, start focusing on them because you should probably delete the ones you don’t need.​

A quick way to do this is to do the following:

• Go to your search command and click on the filter button attached to it on the right-hand side.
• Select the oldest date range and then check the box that says “Has Attachment.
• Thereafter, you can sort through and delete any old emails you don’t need to free up space.

Similar to your Google Drive, your Gmail account also has a Trash folder. Ensure you empty it as well once you are done if you want to clear Google Drive storage properly.

Back Up Files Elsewhere

If you can’t delete anything more and are constantly running out of space, then it might be time to transfer old (but needed) documents to a separate cloud storage service or an external hard drive. Cloud or external storage is the most convenient option for the problem, but you’ll still need to do the occasional cleanup on both the external storage and Google Drive.

The Wrap-Up

Now that you have a better understanding of how Google Drive’s storage system works, managing your storage should become much easier. It may feel frustrating and tedious the first time around, but once you have sorted out your storage with these steps and tips we shared, it’s only a matter of maintaining it through regular checks.

​However, if you’re still experiencing issues with your storage or any other computer problem, we can help. We at My Computer Works have an experienced team of professionals who have helped many customers just like you with repairs and advice over the years. So contact us here today, and we’ll guide you through your next storage clean-up.