| [ | Date | | | 2025-12-31 18:18 -0500 | ] |
| [ | Mod. | | | 2026-01-01 16:50 -0500 | ] |
In 2020, Google began deleting trashed content in their Drive file storage product (announcement). I remember that being part of a general campaigned aimed at reducing the amount of storage that users could use for free, especially targeting storage that was occupied but not useful.
Separately, I stopped using Google Photos around 2017. Accordingly, I eventually moved the pictures and videos I had there elsewhere. The reported usage on Gmail / Google Drive is consistent with that; it shows 0.01GB used.
However, when I ask for a Takeout export of Photos, the output is 76GB:
Completed
Google Photos · Created Yesterday, 11:14 PM · Available until December 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
[…]
Your total request size is 76.6 GB. This request has been divided into 20 files.
I downloaded a subset of one of those exports, and indeed it’s older pictures of mine. There is even a substantial amount of duplicates.
If Google’s 2020 move was meant as a cost-saving measure, it is strange that they would forget about dozens and dozens of gigabytes in my account, which I assume is not special and is just one among many with similar usage.
Quick links:
David Haguenauer
<www@kurokatta.org>
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