Why is Google Photos Hogging My iPhone Storage? Find Out How

Preface

"Why is Google Photos taking up space on my iPhone?" is a question that many people ask. Many users have encountered this annoying problem. Despite the guarantee of unlimited storage (ended in 2021), Google Photos still takes up a lot of space on the device.

Why does Google Photos take up so much space?

Google Photos can take up too much space on your iPhone for several reasons:

► Great backups:

• Upload in original quality: Google Photos automatically saves photos and videos in their original format. This ensures perfect image quality, but in the case of large files, it can take up a lot of storage space.
• Storage limitations: Even if you have a Google One subscription, uploading content in original quality, especially large video files, can cause storage issues.

► Device storage cache:

• Temporary files: For faster access, Google Photos keeps a cache of recently viewed photos and videos on your device. This cache builds up over time and can take up a lot of space.
• Offline access: If you enable offline access for certain albums, some files will be stored on your iPhone, which will further increase storage usage.

► Backup and sync settings:

• Automatic backup: Google Photos automatically backs up photos and videos, but this process can take up storage and data, especially when using a cellular network.
• Sync between devices: If you enable sync across multiple devices, Google Photos may download and store duplicate files, which can increase storage usage.

► Google Photos app size:

• Frequent updates: Frequent updates can increase the size of the Google Photos app, and the app itself requires storage space.
• App data: Data is created during app use and is stored locally, which increases the total storage used.

► Video compression:

Reduced quality: Google Photos compresses videos before uploading them to save storage space. However, for high-resolution videos in particular, compressed videos can still use a lot of storage.

► Offline maps:

Downloaded maps: Offline maps downloaded for use with Google Maps are stored directly on your iPhone, which can affect storage capacity.

► Additional Google services:

Integrated services: Storage capacity can be affected by interactions between Google Photos and Google Drive, as well as other Google services, such as Google Photos Assistant.

How to Prevent Google Photos from Using Storage on Your iPhone

Now that we know how much storage Google Photos uses, let’s look at some helpful troubleshooting tips:

Storage preference controls:

1. Storage settings: To check the size of your storage and identify large files, go to the Storage tab in the Google Photos app.

2. Free space: Delete unnecessary photos and videos to free up space.

3. High resolution and storage saving: Choose the right upload quality to balance photo quality and storage usage.

Clear cache and data:

1. App settings: In the Settings app on your iPhone, find Google Photos and select "iPhone storage".

2. Clear cache: Tap "Clear cache" to delete temporary files.

3. Move apps: Consider moving apps to save storage space while retaining data.

Update your backup settings:

1. Backup and sync: Make sure your backup and sync settings are right for you.

2. Upload over mobile networks: Turn off upload over mobile networks to avoid unnecessary data usage.

3. Video quality: Change your video quality settings to save storage space.

Offline access control:

• Offline albums: Check your offline albums and remove any unnecessary ones.

• Offline maps: Delete any offline maps that are no longer required.

Update Google Photos:

App Store: Update the Google Photos app to the latest version to take advantage of performance improvements and bug fixes.

Use Google One:

• Additional storage: If you need more storage, consider signing up for Google One.

• Special benefits: Users who subscribe to Google One receive additional benefits, such as expert technical support and cloud storage for additional devices.

Third-party data storage solutions:

• Alternative storage: Consider alternative cloud storage options like Dropbox or iCloud to store your photos and videos.

• File transfer apps: Use file transfer apps to move large files to cloud services or external storage.

Bonus Tip: Transfer or Sync Files between Google Photos and Other Cloud Services

This article addresses the question “Why is Google Photos taking up space on my iPhone?". If you’re considering migrating files from your current cloud service to Google Photos, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Google Photos to iCloud Photos without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.

Conclusion

To manage your storage usage efficiently and avoid taking up valuable space on your iPhone, follow these rules. Check your settings often and make the most of them to ensure a flawless experience.