Gmail's 15GB Era Fading? Google Explains 5GB Storage Cap for New Accounts

The era of 15GB of free cloud storage with every new Gmail account by default could be quietly ending, at least for some users. Google has confirmed it is testing a new policy that gives new users in specific regions only 5 gigs by default unless they verify their account with a phone number, which then unlocks the full 15GB.

For years, signing up for a Google Account instantly granted everyone 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos, which honestly is quite generous compared to, say, Apple's 5GB iCloud free tier. That changed silently in mid-May 2026 when users began seeing a different message during account creation: they were entitled to just 5GB unless they added a phone number. The Reddit screenshot above shows the messaging, offering users two free storage options.

In a statement to Android Authority, Google explained ...