Google Drive Storage Full But Empty? Fix This Common Issue Now!

Common Causes of Google Drive Storage Full But No Files

Experiencing the "Google Drive storage full but empty" issue can be perplexing and frustrating. This problem occurs when Google Drive indicates that storage is full, but there are no visible files or large items consuming the space. Let’s delve into the common causes.

Hidden Files and Folders Taking Up Space

One of the primary reasons behind the "Google Drive storage full but no files" issue is hidden files and folders. These files might include:

• App data: Some applications store data in Google Drive, which can be hidden from the main view.
• Temporary files: Files that are temporarily created and not immediately deleted.
• System files: Files generated by Google Drive itself, including sync data and caches.

To locate these hidden files, you can use Google Drive's web interface. Go to the "Storage" section to see a detailed breakdown of what's occupying your space.

Misconfigured Sync Settings

Sync settings can also lead to discrepancies between the reported storage usage and visible files. Issues may arise from:

• Partial syncs: Not all files from your local device are uploaded to the cloud.
• Duplicated files: Sync errors may create duplicates, taking up additional space.
• Out-of-sync items: Some files may fail to sync properly, causing them to be stuck in a cache or temporary storage.

Ensure your sync settings are properly configured, and regularly check the sync status to confirm all files are up to date.

Google Photos and Gmail Integration

Google Drive shares storage space with Google Photos and Gmail. Emails with large attachments or high-resolution photos and videos stored in Google Photos can quickly consume your allocated space, even if you don't see these files directly in Google Drive.

• Gmail attachments: Large attachments in your emails can take up significant storage.
• Google Photos: High-quality photos and videos can use a lot of space, especially if stored in their original quality.

To manage this, review your Gmail storage and Google Photos settings. Deleting large attachments and old emails, as well as optimizing photo storage settings, can help free up space.

Trash and Bin Not Emptied

Deleted files are moved to the trash and continue to occupy storage until permanently removed. Often, users forget to empty the trash, leading to unnecessary space consumption.

• Files in Trash: Ensure you regularly empty the trash in Google Drive.
• Gmail Trash: Similarly, clear out the trash in Gmail to free up space.

Check both Google Drive and Gmail trash bins to ensure no large files are lingering and consuming space.

Shared Files and Folders

Files and folders shared with you also count towards your storage quota. Even if these files are not created by you, they can still take up space if shared within your account.

• Review shared items: Check the "Shared with me" section in Google Drive.
• Remove unnecessary shared files: Unshare or delete shared files that are not needed.

By managing these shared items, you can reclaim some of your storage space.

Inactive Google Drive Syncs on Multiple Devices

Having Google Drive sync enabled on multiple devices without proper management can lead to storage discrepancies. Files may be partially synced or duplicated across devices, causing confusion and unnecessary space usage.

• Review sync settings on all devices: Ensure that sync settings are consistent and correct across all devices.
• Remove outdated syncs: Disable sync on devices that no longer require it.

Regularly reviewing and managing sync settings across devices can help prevent storage issues.

Solutions for Google Drive Storage Says Full But No Files

After understanding the possible causes behind the "Google Drive Storage Full but Empty" issue, now it is time to find out effective solutions to resolve it. For your reference, we have gathered the following methods.

1. Identify and Remove Hidden Files and Folders

1. Check for Hidden Files in Google Drive

• Open Google Drive in a web browser. 
• Click on the settings gear icon and select "Settings".   
• Go to the "Manage Apps" section. 
• Look for any hidden app data and clear it by clicking on "Options" next to each app and selecting "Delete hidden app data".

2. Clear Cache in Google Drive App

• On your mobile device, go to "Settings".
• Navigate to "Apps" or "Application Manager" and find "Google Drive". 
• Tap on "Storage" and then "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data".

3. Use Google’s Storage Management Tool

• Visit Google’s storage management page: [Google One Storage](https://one.google.com/storage/management). 
• Review and delete large or unnecessary files, including hidden files and system files.

2. Fix Misconfigured Sync Settings

1. Review and Adjust Sync Settings

• Open Google Drive on your desktop or mobile app. 
• Click on the settings icon and select "Preferences". 
• Ensure all necessary folders are selected for syncing.
• Check for any sync errors and resolve them.

2. Re-sync Files

• Pause and resume syncing in the Google Drive app to force a re-sync. 
• On a desktop, click on the Drive icon, go to settings, and select "Pause syncing".
• Wait a few moments, then select "Resume syncing".

3. Check for Duplicates

Use a duplicate file finder tool or manually review files in your Google Drive to identify and delete duplicates.

3. Manage Google Photos and Gmail Storage

1. Optimize Google Photos Storage

• Open Google Photos. Click on the settings icon and go to "Backup & Sync".
• Select "High quality (free up to 16 MP)" to reduce storage usage.
• Use the "Free up space" option to delete backed-up photos from your device.

2. Review and Delete Large Gmail Attachments

• In Gmail, use the search query `has:attachment larger:10M` to find emails with large attachments. 
• Delete unnecessary emails and empty the Gmail trash to free up space.

3. Empty Google Drive Trash and Bin

• Open Google Drive. 
• Click on "Trash" in the left-hand menu.
• Select all items and click on the "Delete forever" button.

4. Empty Gmail Trash

• In Gmail, click on "More" in the left-hand menu. 
• Select "Trash" and click on "Empty Trash now".

Before deleting Gmails, you had better back up them to storage device, physical hard drive or cloud drive. To transfer Gmail to hard drive, you can use its inbuilt print feature. If you want to back up emails with attachments to cloud drive, please try MultCloud.

4. Manage Shared Files and Folders

1. Review Shared Items

• Open Google Drive and go to the "Shared with me" section.
• Identify files and folders that are not needed.
• Right-click on the item and select "Remove" to unshare it from your account.

2. Remove Large Shared Files

 If the shared files are large and unnecessary, contact the owner and request to remove your access.

5. Manage Inactive Google Drive Syncs on Multiple Devices

1. Review Sync Settings on All Devices

• Open Google Drive on each device where it's installed.
• Ensure sync settings are consistent and correct.

2. Disable Sync on Unnecessary Devices

• On devices where Google Drive sync is no longer needed, open the Google Drive app.
• Go to settings and select "Account". 
• Choose "Disconnect account" to stop syncing on that device.

3. Remove Old Syncs

• On your primary device, go to Google Drive settings. 
• Review connected devices and remove any that are outdated or no longer in use.

By following these solutions, you can effectively address the causes of the "Google Drive storage full but no files" issue, ensuring your storage is accurately reported and efficiently managed.

Write in the End

If you’ve tried all the above solutions and are still facing the "Google Drive space full but nothing there" issue, it may be time to contact Google Support. They can provide more in-depth assistance and help resolve any underlying issues with your Google Drive account.

To prevent the issue from happening again in the future, it is advised to periodically review and delete unnecessary files, clear out the trash, and ensure that no hidden or temporary files are taking up space. Or you can consider exploring alternative storage solutions. There are various cloud storage services available that offer similar features to Google Drive and can serve as a reliable backup or primary storage option. If you have chosen an alternative, you can use MultCloud to move all Google Drive content to the alternative at once without passing through the local space.