Google has confirmed that new Gmail accounts in a limited rollout receive only 5 GB of free storage instead of the usual 15 GB. The company says the reduction is part of a test aimed at preserving a “high‑quality storage service” while nudging users to add a phone number for security. Regions under the trial remain undisclosed and may expand globally later.

Accounts that already have a phone number attached continue to enjoy the full 15 GB allotment, shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos. Google updated its support page to state that each Google Account includes up to 15 GB, dropping the previous wording that implied a guaranteed baseline. Existing users therefore see no immediate loss of space. It also will not affect billing cycles for paid tiers.

The move reflects Google’s broader push to tighten account security by tying storage privileges to verified phone numbers. Critics argue the tactic could pressure users into sharing personal data to retain free cloud capacity. For consumers, the experiment means a new hurdle before accessing the full suite of Google’s free services, reinforcing the trade‑off between convenience and privacy as regulatory scrutiny on data practices grows.