Cloud storage subscriptions like Google One offer users convenience, extra space, and premium features. But have you ever thought about what happens when you cancel your cloud subscription? Do you lose your data instantly? What do you think?
You are worried about losing your photos, emails, and files. I’m also curious about whether you will stop paying. What happened next? Let’s talk about Google One, one of the most popular cloud storage services. I’m choosing this because, according to Wikipedia, 100 million subscribers used it as of February 2024.
So, Google One is one of the most used cloud services, and we will talk about what happened after you stopped paying for the subscription, including what happened to the data stored in your drive. As good news, fortunately, they don’t immediately wipe your data, but there are essential limitations and timelines to understand.
With this quick guide, we’ll explore one by one these things:
- What happens immediately after cancellation
- How long will your data remain accessible
- Restrictions on new uploads and backups
- Google’s two-year grace period before potential deletion
- Strategies to manage storage without paying
- Alternatives if you decide to leave Google One
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1. What Happens When You Cancel Google One?
When you cancel your current subscription, your storage will be reverted to the Google free plan (This plan will be shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos). But the thing is, your existing data isn’t deleted right away. Instead, Google imposes restrictions:
Immediate Changes After Cancellation
- You keep access to all files, emails, and photos.
- You can still download your data.
- New uploads (no new Drive files, emails, or Docs) are blocked.
- Automatic photo backups stop.
- You can’t send or receive emails if Gmail exceeds the limit.
The good thing is that you won’t lose anything instantly without a Google One subscription, but your ability to add new content is frozen until you free up space.
2. The Two-Year Grace Period: How Long Before Google Deletes Your Data?
Google provides a reasonable 2-year grace period before taking action. If your account remains over the 15GB limit:
- For 24 months, your data stays intact.
- Afterwards, Google may delete files from Gmail, Drive, or Photos to bring you back under the free quota.
This grace time will give you access to these options:
- Download essential files to an external drive.
- Delete unnecessary data (old backups, duplicate photos).
- Switch to another cloud service (like Dropbox or iCloud).
Will Google Warn You Before Deletion?
Absolutely. You know what? Google typically sends multiple email reminders before taking action, so you’ll have a final chance to save your files.
3. How to Manage Your Storage Without Paying
If you’re determined to avoid resubscribing, here are innovative ways to stay within 15GB:
A. Clean Up Google Drive
- Delete large, unused files (videos, old backups).
- Empty the Trash (files aren’t entirely deleted until you do this).
- Use Google’s Storage Manager (drive.google.com/settings/storage) to identify space hogs.
B. Optimise Google Photos
- Convert photos to “Storage Saver” quality (reduces size).
- Delete duplicates or blurry images.
- Download and delete old videos (they consume the most space).
C. As the first step, first try to free up your Gmail Space
- To get some free space, you can try to remove your old emails (unwanted) with large attachments.
- Empty Spam and Trash folders.
- Unsubscribe from promotional emails (they add up over time).
D. Use Multiple Free Google Accounts
- Since each account gets 15GB free, some users split data across multiple accounts. But it can be inconvenient when managing multiple logins.
4. Comparison of Google One subscription with Other Cloud Services
Google provides an absolute 15GB free tier, and it is more generous than other cloud storage providers:
as example
- Apple iCloud: Only 5GB free.
- Microsoft OneDrive: 5GB free (unless you have a Microsoft 365 subscription).
- Dropbox: Just 2GB free (This size is expandable via referrals).
If you need more free storage, Mega offers 20GB (temporarily), and pCloud provides 10GB (with options to earn more).
5. Should You Resubscribe to Google One subscription again, or Other alternative options
Did you think of resubscribing to your Google subscription again? I know it’s the easiest option for you to do if you heavily rely on Google’s ecosystem.
Some alternative options for Google One
Here are some alternatives that you can use if you’re looking for other options for Google One.
A. Managing Local Storage (External Hard Drives/NAS)
- Pros: One-time cost, no subscriptions, and no cloud access.
- Cons: Risk of hardware failure.
B. Switch to another cloud storage
Here are some alternative options for you,
- iCloud: Best for Apple users.
- OneDrive: Integrates well with Microsoft Office.
- Dropbox: Great for file sharing.
C. Hybrid Approach
- Keep essential files in Google’s free tier.
- Store large media files on an external drive or another cloud service.
6. Final Thoughts: Is Cancelling Google One a Risk?
Yes, it is, but there is some good news for you. Google won’t delete your data right away. You have two years to decide whether to:
- Downgrading the current plan and cleaning up the storage
- Resubscribe later
- Migrate to another service
The key takeaway: Act before the grace period ends. Planning ensures a smooth transition, whether you stay with Google or move on.
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I’m a tech-savvy writer and passionate software engineer who loves exploring the intersection of technology and creativity. Whether it’s building efficient systems or breaking down complex tech topics into simple words, I enjoy making technology accessible and useful for everyone.