California: Google has announced a significant change to its cloud storage policy, confirming that Android device backups will now count toward users’ Google Account storage quota, a move that could affect millions of Android users.

The new policy takes effect from July 7 for new Android users, while existing users will see the change rolled out over the coming months.

Until now, the storage limit for a Google Account primarily included Google Photos media files, Google Drive documents, and Gmail emails. Under the updated policy, Android backup data will also be included in the total storage used by an account.

According to Google, Android backups store important information from a user’s smartphone in their Google Account, making it easier to restore data after resetting a device or when setting up a new Android phone.

A Google spokesperson said the company has updated its storage policy so that all Android backup data will now be counted against the available cloud storage associated with a user’s account.

The spokesperson noted that, on average, Android backups are expected to consume around 40 megabytes of storage for most users. However, Google is also introducing additional controls that will allow users to decide which data and applications should be included in their backups, helping them better manage their available storage.

The company said the changes are intended to provide users with greater transparency and more control over the data stored in their Google Accounts.

The policy update marks another adjustment to Google’s cloud storage strategy. Earlier, in May 2026, the company began testing a reduction in free storage for newly created Google Accounts, lowering the limit from 15GB to 5GB for selected new users.

With Android backups now included in storage calculations, users who rely heavily on Google’s free cloud storage may need to review their backup settings, delete unnecessary files, or consider upgrading to a paid Google One storage plan if they approach their storage limit.

Google has advised users to regularly monitor their storage usage and manage backup preferences to ensure sufficient space remains available for important files, emails, and photos as the updated policy is rolled out worldwide.