How to manage Google Workspace storage from a phone

Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic

When you deed your Google Workspace retention limit, things nary longer work. You can't nonstop oregon person Gmail messages. You can't store much files connected Google Drive. And you can't backup photos oregon videos with Google Photos.

Your archetypal measurement should beryllium to interaction your Workspace administrator. An head mightiness cheque the organization's wide storage, analyse idiosyncratic relationship storage usage and past either acquisition further retention oregon upgrade the licence linked to your account. Some Workspace Enterprise plans connection unlimited storage! (Individual users not connected organizational plans mightiness see a Google One plan purchase.)

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Your 2nd measurement would beryllium to delete ample emails, files oregon videos oregon photos you nary longer need. In an earlier article, I covered steps that you (and a Google Workspace administrator) mightiness instrumentality to trim the retention utilized by your account. All of these steps enactment good with a desktop-class web browser, specified arsenic Chrome. 

But not each idiosyncratic who uses Workspace has entree to a desktop. And it's not needfully evident oregon casual to fig retired however to trim your Workspace retention usage from your phone. However, it is imaginable with the steps below. (The Google One mobile app on iOS or Android helps individuals negociate storage, but doesn't let entree from organizational accounts.)

Before you start, if you usage Chrome connected Android, I urge you archetypal unit alteration zoom. On your phone, unfastened Chrome, pat the 3 dot paper (upper right) | Settings | Accessibility | past cheque the container adjacent to Force Enable Zoom (Figure A). This makes it imaginable to pinch-in and pinch-out connected web pages.

Figure A

If you usage Chrome connected Android, you volition apt privation to unit alteration zoom to marque it imaginable to zoom successful and zoom out.

How to cheque Drive, Gmail and Photo retention usage

In Chrome, portion signed successful to your Google Workspace account, unfastened the Drive retention page (as shown successful the inheritance successful the photograph astatine the apical of this article) to reappraisal retention utilized by your relationship connected Drive, Gmail and Photos. Prioritize your efforts to trim retention based connected the abstraction utilized successful each of these apps.

How to find ample files connected Drive retention from your phone

1. Go to Google Drive successful either Chrome (e.g., connected Android) oregon Safari (e.g., connected iPhone).
2. Tap the 3 horizontal enactment paper successful the precocious left, past pat Desktop Version (Figure B, left). This switches from the mobile presumption of Drive to the modular presumption connected the web.
3. Tap Storage (Figure B, middle). This displays a database of ample files connected your Drive, sorted from those that instrumentality up the astir retention abstraction to the slightest (Figure B, right)
4. Tap connected a record sanction to prime it, past pat the Trash icon. Review the record sanction and past pat connected the Move to Trash fastener lone if you are definite you nary longer request the file. Repeat this process for arsenic galore ample files arsenic you wish. 
5. Optional: While Drive volition automatically region items from Trash aft 30 days, you besides whitethorn bare trash manually. Tap connected the Trash icon connected the near broadside of the screen, past pat Empty trash. If you are definite you nary longer request the deleted files, pat Delete forever.

Figure B

In your mobile browser, unfastened Google Drive and power to the Desktop Version, past pat Storage. This displays files stored connected My Drive, sorted from largest to smallest.

How to find ample email successful Gmail connected your phone

1. Open the Gmail app (on either Android oregon iPhone) and marque definite you are signed successful with your Workspace account.
2. In the hunt box, hunt for email larger than a circumstantial record size. Enter larger:10mb to find email larger than 10Mb, for example, arsenic shown successful Figure C. If the database is precise long, set the hunt size (e.g., larger:15mb) to find fewer, but larger, emails.
3. Tap connected email successful the returned results to reappraisal it. Once you are definite you privation to delete an email, pat the trash icon (in the precocious right). This instantly moves the email to the Trash. Note, dissimilar with Drive files above, determination is nary further confirmation step.
4. Optional: As with Drive file, the strategy volition automatically delete email that is successful Trash much than 30 days. The simplest mode to bare Gmail trash, though, is to usage the Gmail mobile app. While signed into the Gmail app with your Workspace account, pat the 3 horizontal enactment paper successful the precocious left, past pat Trash. Near the apical of the surface pat the Empty Trash Now fastener that displays, then, if you are definite you nary longer request immoderate of the email successful trash, pat Empty.

Figure C

Install the Gmail app connected either Android oregon iPhone, motion successful with your account, past usage the larger:10mb hunt word to find attachments larger than 10Mb.

How to find video files successful Google Photos connected your phone

While Drive and Gmail some supply methods for radical who usage Workspace accounts to hunt for ample files, the Google Photos app connected Android oregon iOS lacks equivalent ample record search/sort features connected phones arsenic of November 2021. However, a hunt of Photos for video files whitethorn assistance you find items that instrumentality up important retention space.

1. Open the Photos app and marque definite you are signed successful to it with your Workspace account.
2. Enter a video record hold successful the hunt field. From the Google Photos assistance page, supported video record types see ".mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv files." For example, you mightiness hunt for .mp4 oregon .mov files, arsenic shown in Figure D.
3. Review the video record hunt results. Tap connected a record to show it.
4. If you nary longer request a video file, pat connected the trash icon, past pat Move to trash. Repeat this process for arsenic galore files arsenic you wish.
5. Optional: The strategy deletes backed up items aft 60 days successful trash, portion items that aren't backed up are deleted aft 30 days successful trash. To manually bare the trash sooner, pat the Library, past Trash, past pat the three-dot paper and pat Empty Trash. If you are definite you nary longer request the items successful the trash, pat Delete permanently (or, connected iPhone, Delete).

Figure D

In the Google Photos app connected Android oregon iOS, you mightiness hunt for assorted video record extensions, specified arsenic .mp4 oregon .mov. In the Photos app, this helps you place video files, which whitethorn necessitate important retention space.

How bash you negociate Workspace retention for radical who are mobile-only?

If you usage an organizational Workspace account, the simplest mode to reappraisal and trim your retention is to bash truthful from a laptop oregon desktop with Chrome (or, alternatively, connected a Mac, Safari). The supra options are the champion techniques I've identified for radical who usage Workspace that are mobile-only.

If you're a Workspace administrator, what methods bash you usage to show retention for radical successful your organization? If you chiefly entree Workspace from a mobile device, what practices bash you usage to enactment nether retention limits? Let maine cognize however you negociate Workspace relationship retention from a mobile device, either with a remark beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber).

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