How Long Does Google Drive Store? Decoding the Limits of Free and Paid Plans

In the age of technology, storing data securely, conveniently and easily accessible from any device is an essential need for individuals and businesses. One of the most popular cloud storage services today is Google Drive, a platform provided by Google, helping users store and share data online. However, a question that many people are interested in is:

How long does Google Drive store data?
Will data be deleted if not used for a long time?
Does Google have storage limits?
If you are also wondering about these things, this article SaDesign will help you understand the storage mechanism, the limits of free and paid accounts as well as how to effectively manage capacity on Google Drive.

1. How long does Google Drive store data?

One of the unique features of Google Drive compared to other storage services is that there is no limit on the amount of time your data can be stored, as long as your account is active. However, depending on whether you use a free or paid account, there will be different regulations on storage time and data retention conditions.

1.1. For free accounts

Google offers 15GB of free storage to all users when they create a Google account. However, there are some important conditions you need to be aware of to ensure that your data is not lost:

Unlimited storage time: If your account remains active (regularly logged in, using Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos), data will be stored indefinitely.

If account is inactive for 2 years: According to Google's new policy, if you don't use your account for 24 months, Google may delete your data to free up server space.

Full storage: If you use up 15GB and don't buy more storage, you won't be able to upload new files or receive emails from Gmail.

To avoid data loss, log in to Google Drive at least once a year and delete unnecessary files to free up space.

1.2. For paid accounts (Google One, Google Workspace)

When you use Google One (for individuals) or Google Workspace (for businesses) , the storage policy is different:

Data storage time will be unlimited, as long as users continue to maintain payment for the service package. At that time, in addition to the storage capacity of 100GB, 200GB, 2TB or more (according to usage requirements), users will also be provided with many attractive features and utilities to help data be stored safely and stably for a long time.

If you stop paying, your storage will return to the free level (15GB), and if your total data exceeds 15GB, Google may delete old files or prevent you from uploading new data.

2. Factors affecting storage time on Google Drive

Although there is no limit to the amount of time you can store files on Google Drive, in reality, it will be affected by many factors. For example:

Free and premium accounts

As shared above, Google Drive provides users with 15GB of free storage for free accounts. If this storage is not used up, the user's data will still be stored indefinitely. However, if the user stops using this account for a long time, the data may be deleted according to Google's policy.

Meanwhile, with paid accounts, users can flexibly expand storage capacity up to hundreds of GB or even TB depending on the service package. This means that if users continue to pay and maintain their accounts, the data will be guaranteed to be stored indefinitely.

Google's Auto-Deletion Policy

Google Drive file retention time is also heavily affected by the auto-deletion policy. Google reserves the right to delete an account and all associated data if the user has not logged into the account for 24 months, or if the required minimum storage space is not maintained.

This means that if a user does not pay attention to the account for a long time, it is very likely that the stored data will be deleted without any warning. Therefore, users should consider logging in to their accounts periodically to avoid unwanted data loss.

Account validity

Account validity is also one of the important factors that can affect data storage on Google Drive. If a user creates a new Google account but does not use or log in to it regularly, the account may be deleted after a long period of inactivity. This is especially true for new accounts that have not had any activity for 2 years.

So, if you use Google Drive to store important data, make sure that the user account will have at least one login per year to keep the account active. This will help the data to be stored stably and avoid unnecessary incidents.

Google Drive Account Status

Account status can also affect how long data is stored on Google Drive. In this case, if a user violates Google's terms or service policies, their account may be suspended and all related data deleted. To avoid this situation, it is best for users to comply with Google's regulations and terms when using the service.

3. How to check file storage time on Google Drive

Checking the file storage time on Google Drive is always necessary. Because this not only helps users easily review detailed information about each file, storage time, creation date, modification date, but also can clearly understand the total storage capacity of the account, thereby quickly determining whether they are within the allowed limit or not. And to do this, users can follow the following instructions:

Step 1: Access your Google Drive account. Users can now open the application via a web browser, computer, or on their mobile device.

Step 2: Select the file to check the storage time >> click Folder Information > select Activity.

Step 3: A window will appear, displaying detailed information about the file, including creation and modification times. This helps users quickly determine the start time, as well as store the file on Google Drive for a long time.

4. How to manage storage space and optimize storage time on Google Drive?

Managing storage space and time on Google Drive is a good way for users to maintain their accounts in the best condition. Here are some useful tips and experiences that users can apply:

Check and manage storage capacity

Google Drive is a great tool for storing and managing files. However, to be able to exploit the tool effectively, users also need to understand the storage time and related factors. Actively checking, managing capacity and understanding Google's policies will help maintain user accounts and data safe for a long time. Specifically:

Check usage

First, users should go to and check the amount of space they have used on Google Drive. This can be done through the Google Drive homepage. In the lower left corner, users will see information about the space used and the total space available.

Delete unnecessary files

One of the best ways to free up space on Google Drive is to delete unnecessary files. Users can search for large files using Google Drive's advanced search features and delete files that are no longer needed. However, don't forget to check the trash after deleting, because the files will still be there and not permanently deleted after 30 days.

Clean up the trash folder

Files in the recycle bin will remain the same size until the user decides to delete them completely or they are automatically deleted permanently after 30 days. Therefore, after deleting files, it is also very necessary to regularly check and clean the recycle bin so that users can free up more space.

Optimize archive files

Optimizing your Google Drive storage also plays an important role in extending your storage life. Review your stored files and make sure they are really necessary, and also compress or convert them to make the most of your space.

Add more storage if needed

In case Google Drive runs out of storage space, but users do not want to delete any files, they can consider upgrading their account to paid service plans with larger storage capacity. This ensures that files can be stored and managed for a long time depending on the actual needs of the user.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding upgrading your Google Drive account , please do not forget to contact Hotline: 0868 33 9999 directly to receive the best advice and support from SaDesign .

Set up a reasonable storage policy system

Finally, it is also important to set up a reasonable storage policy. Clearly identify which types of files are important and need to be stored long-term, and which types of files only need to be stored temporarily. This not only helps save space, but also makes storing and managing files much simpler and more efficient.

Google Drive is a powerful storage tool that can store files indefinitely, as long as the account is active. However, users need to pay attention to storage limits and data deletion policies to avoid losing important data. If you have larger storage needs, Google offers a variety of flexible paid plans. Check and optimize your storage regularly to ensure that Google Drive is always working best for you.