How to Reduce My Google Workspace Storage

Check Your Current Storage Usage

View your current Google storage usage to determine if you are within the defined storage limit for Austin Community College (25 GB). 

The total amount of storage you use is spread across the Google Workspace services, which includes

• Gmail
• Google Drive
• Google Shared Drives
• Google Photos

The example image below shows a storage usage of 85.96 GB. This user needs to review their files and usage to remain in the limit of 25 GB. 

Know how to delete files and folders (single and multiple)

To reduce storage usage across Google services, it is useful to know how to delete a single file or folder, and how to delete multiple files and folders at once. 

How to Delete a Single file/folder:

1. Right click,or click the ellipsis to access the pop up menu and select Move to trash.

Note: You can also select the item and press the Delete key on your keyboard. 

How to Delete a Multiple files/folders at once:

To delete multiple files at once in Google Drive, you need to select the files using keyboard shortcuts and move them to the trash.

Option 1: Select files that are next to each other (Consecutively)

1. Click on the first file you want to delete.
2. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard.
3. Click on the last file in the list. All files in between will highlight.
4. Move to trash.
   

Option 2: Select specific files scattered around (Non-consecutively)

1. Click on the first file you want to delete.
2. Press and hold the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Mac).
3. Click on each individual file you want to remove while holding the key down.
4. Move to trash.
   

Option 3: Select all files in a folder

1. Click anywhere inside the folder to focus the screen.
2. Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac) to highlight and select all files in the folder.
3. Move these items to trash.
    

Gmail search operators can help identify messages and attachments that use significant amounts of storage.

Find Large Emails

In the Gmail search bar, enter: has:attachment larger:10M

This identifies emails with attachments larger than 10 MB.

1. Review the search results.
2. Select messages that are no longer needed.
3. Identify content that is no longer needed and move to trash.

Find Older Emails

In the Gmail search bar, enter the following search operators to filter your results to specific years:

• older_than:2y — finds emails older than two years.
• older_than:5y — finds emails older than five years.
• has:attachment older_than:3y — finds older emails with attachments.
• before:2021/01/01 — finds emails received before a specific date.

1. Review the search results.
2. Select messages that are no longer needed.
3. Identify content that is no longer needed and move to trash.Important: Before deleting email, confirm that the messages are not needed for College records, business purposes, or other applicable retention requirements.

Empty Gmail Trash and Spam

1. Select Trash from the left-side menu.
2. Select Empty Trash now.
3. Select Spam and select Delete all spam messages now, if available.
   Important: Messages in Trash and Spam continue to count toward your storage limit until they are permanently deleted.

Google Photos is the home for all of your photos and videos from ACC events and projects. 

Find Large Photos and Videos

1. Open Google Photos.
2. On the left panel, click on Storage.
   

3. This will take you to manage storage, where you can review the available categories..
4. Review and delete content that is no longer needed.

Find Older Photos

1. Scroll through your Google Photos timeline and use the date slider to navigate to older years.
2. You can also search for a specific year or date range using the search bar.
3. Review and delete photos or videos that are no longer needed.
   

Empty Google Photos Trash

1. Open Google Photos Trash.
2. Review the items carefully.
3. Select Empty trash.
   Important: Deleted photos and videos remain in Trash until permanently deleted or automatically removed according to Google's retention period.