Engadget advises Android users to curb duplicate Google storage usage
A recent analysis from Engadget outlines steps for Android users to reclaim space by managing redundant backups and disabling unnecessary app data syncs.
An article published by Engadget on 13 August 2026 advises Android users to review their cloud storage habits, noting that many are inadvertently consuming double the necessary space through duplicate backups. The guidance focuses on managing the overlap between Google Photos and messaging applications such as WhatsApp, which often store identical media files in separate locations within a user’s Google account.
Google provides 15GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Drive, and device backups. While Google One plans offer higher caps, including a 5TB tier, the publication warns that users are incentivised to upgrade with every wasted byte. The article highlights that Google Photos, the default media backup solution on Android, may back up folders from apps like WhatsApp that already maintain their own backups in Google Drive, effectively doubling the storage footprint for the same images and videos.
To mitigate this, the guide recommends deleting excess media from local storage before it is backed up. This approach saves double the space in cloud storage and triple when factoring in the reduction of local drive usage. Users are also advised to manually delete photos and videos from Google Photos after turning off folder backups, as the platform encourages retaining this data for ingestion into its Gemini AI service and to drive storage upgrades.
Beyond media, the article suggests optimising storage by disabling app data backups for services that do not require cloud retention. Through the Google section of Android settings or the Google One app, users can review the 'Other device data' and 'App data' sections. The publication notes that configuration tools, such as CPU-Z, guitar tuner apps, VLC, and icon packs, often back up unnecessary data or login tokens.
Account-based applications, including Bluesky and Reddit, are also cited as unnecessary for cloud backups since their data is tied to the user’s login credentials. The author argues that bringing configuration baggage from previous devices can cause unpredictable issues, suggesting it is more efficient to set up such apps fresh on new hardware rather than preserving their data in the cloud.
