Planned Change: Google Workspace Storage Allocation

In February 2021, Google announced that it will no longer provide unlimited storage for the academic community. Beginning in December 2024, Google intends to begin charging the University of Minnesota for data that exceeds a Google-imposed systemwide data storage limit. To control these new costs, the University is allocating storage limits and supporting good practices for file and data management. 

The storage allocations are generous and will enable the University community to continue their work and studies without interruption. Members of the University community are also encouraged to adopt good practices for managing your storage--including deleting files you no longer need. Learn tips for how to manage your Google Workspace on the Focus on Files webpage.

Based on the analysis of current UMN Google Workspace usage, fewer than 6 percent of all UMN faculty, staff, and students will ever reach the storage allocation capacity. 

If you are among the few who come close, a warning banner will display at top of an your Google Workspace account if you reach 80% of your allocation.

You can review your storage usage any time by signing in to your Google My Drive. Your storage usage displays at the bottom of the left navigation menu. 

No. Files stored in shared drives do not count against an individual's account.

The following Google apps contain files that add to your total storage allocation

• My Drive including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and any files you upload to My Drive, including PDFs and photos 
• Jamboards
• Photo App 
• Gmail (emails and attachments)

According analysis of current UMN Google Workspace usage, fewer than 6 percent of all UMN faculty, staff, and students will ever reach the storage allocation capacity. If you are among the few who do, you can take the following steps.

1. Confirm how much storage you’re using. 
   1. Note: Check to make sure you are viewing your UMN (not a personal) Google account by clicking on your profile icon.
2. Review and delete large or unnecessary files in Google Workspace my drive. 
3. Review and delete large or unnecessary files in Google Workspace shared drives.
4. Move personal files to your own storage (e.g., a personal Google account). Your University Google account is only for University use.
5. Consider deleting my drive content that you may have copied to a shared drive. If a file resides in 2 locations, it may be consuming twice the storage space.
6. To search for and delete unnecessary or large emails, manage files in your Google my drive storage and follow the instructions for Gmail.
7. For faculty and staff: if you are close to your capacity and you believe you need additional storage, please contact your local IT Lead or the Research Cyberinfrastructure Champions for a consultation on how to access additional storage. 
8. Explore Storage Solutions. Use the Storage Selection Tool to determine what storage options are available to you based on your needs. 

It is strongly recommended that you take action when you first see a low storage alert in your Google My Drive. If you do not take action before you go over your storage allocation, you cannot;

• Add new files or images to Google Drive.
• Create new files in collaborative content creation apps like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and Jamboard. 
• Send email attachments of 25MB or larger
• Open email attachments of 50MB or larger
• Record new meetings in Google Meet.

For Faculty and Staff: The Office of Information Technology is committed to providing data storage to support your research, work, and studies. Google Workspace storage allocations are designed so that 96% of all faculty, staff and students have all of the storage they need. If, in the future, you are among the few who need additional storage, please contact your local IT Lead or the Research Cyberinfrastructure Champions for a consultation on additional storage.

The Office of Information Technology, in partnership with research data experts and systemwide IT Leaders, are committed to ensuring that you can continue to conduct your research, work, and studies.

If you have need of additional storage, please contact your local IT Lead or the Research Cyberinfrastructure Champions.

If you want to download or transfer files from your UMN Google Workspace account, follow instructions for Google Apps: Exporting your Files and Data 

Avoid using your UMN Google Workspace account for personal activities, including personal transactions, personal subscriptions and memberships to systems and services, personal correspondence, or storing personal files.

Some vendors offer educational discounts to people with an .edu email address. If you choose to use your University account for this purpose, it is recommended that you keep a record so that you can easily update your account information before you leave the University.

Remember, most of our work is public and is available to anyone upon request. All University records, including emails, are public unless they contain information that is made private by the law. Examples of private information include private student and private personnel data. Much of our work does not involve private data, and must be produced publicly if requested. Learn more about the Office of General Counsel's Guidelines for Email.

Visit the Focus on Files webpage. You can review tips and learn about tools for managing your Google Workspace. You can also enroll to receive monthly email messages with practical tips and invitations to learning events.