Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET
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Every individual who signs up for a new Google account automatically receives 15 gigabytes of complimentary cloud storage. At first glance, this allocation might seem rather generous, especially since it is provided entirely free of charge. Yet upon closer inspection, the offer becomes more complex. That storage allocation is not confined solely to your Gmail inbox; it is also shared across the broader Google ecosystem, encompassing Google Drive files, Google Photos libraries, and, of course, your email messages. Consequently, what appears to be a plentiful allowance can diminish quickly as attachments, high-resolution photos, and large documents accumulate over the years.

If you find that your inbox is perpetually crammed with masses of unread newsletters, hidden promotional blasts, and occasional spam clogging your digital workspace, there remains a way to restore order without sacrificing the emails that genuinely matter to you. With the right methodology, you can simultaneously safeguard important correspondence and declutter the rest, granting yourself the rare satisfaction of starting with a refreshed, uncluttered inbox environment.

Naturally, one obvious approach is to manually purge your Gmail inbox—meticulously selecting newsletters, old attachments, or outdated conversations to delete. Another option is to download files and messages onto a local device for archiving. However, anyone who has attempted these strategies knows that such manual curation is tedious, time-consuming, and ultimately insufficient. No matter how diligent you are, extraneous gigabytes will quietly accumulate again, steadily consuming your allotted quota.

Google, aware of this limitation, does invite users to solve the problem by purchasing more space. Through the Google One program, it is possible to expand your storage allocation on a monthly or annual payment plan. For instance, the entry-level **Basic plan** provides 100GB of capacity for $24 per year. While upgrading may appeal to those who prefer convenience, there exists a cost-free strategy—one that involves carefully backing up your files and resetting your storage use—to regain lost breathing room.

### Step 1: Back up your files securely
If you are undertaking this process, it is likely because you are committed to preserving a large archive of emails that may span several years. To mitigate any risks, the safest preliminary step is to create a backup stored outside of your active Gmail ecosystem. This can be achieved on your personal computer or even better, on an external hard drive. By doing so, you guarantee that valuable records remain protected before re-uploading them into the cloud.

To initiate this backup, navigate to **Google Takeout**, the export utility designed by Google. Once there, select the services whose contents you wish to archive, such as Google Drive or Google Photos, and proceed through the onscreen instructions. After completion, you can safely erase the exported files from your local drive to reclaim computer storage. Be forewarned, however, that the extraction process can be lengthy, with duration dependent on the number and size of your files. To illustrate, technology journalist Jason Chun from CNET once exported approximately 75,000 email messages using Google Takeout, and even this test case required close to two hours to finish.

### Step 2: Configure email transfer settings
When your backup is secure, the next stage involves preparing Gmail to transfer messages from your original account elsewhere. Start by logging into your primary Gmail, then click the gear icon in the upper-right corner to access **Settings**. Within the navigation menu, select the **Forwarding and POP/IMAP** tab, and from there, activate the option labeled *Enable POP for all mail.* For reference, POP refers to the Post Office Protocol, a system that allows emails to be downloaded from one server to another. Google will then prompt you to choose what should happen to your messages after being accessed via POP. Choose the setting that deletes Gmail’s original copy—this ensures that once transferred, those messages will no longer take up valuable space in your initial account. Save your changes before exiting this menu.

### Step 3: Create a fresh archive account
At this point, you will need a secondary Gmail account that will serve as your **archive inbox**—a repository for migrated messages where your historical correspondence can live undisturbed. Establishing this account is straightforward: simply register for a new Gmail address as if starting from scratch. Once your fresh account is active, log in, access **Settings** again, and on the **Accounts and Import** tab, locate the option labeled *Add a mail account* under the “Check mail from other accounts” section.

A dialog box will appear where you must input the address of your original Gmail account. After clicking “Next,” select the radio button entitled *Import emails from my other account (POP3).* Proceed through the prompts until asked for your original account’s password. Should your regular Gmail password fail to authenticate, Google may ask you to generate a one-time application-specific password. This can be done by visiting your Google Account management page, where under security settings you will find the section for **App Passwords**. There you create a temporary 16-digit passcode—name it something like “Email Transfer” for clarity—and write it down or capture a screenshot, as Google will display it only once.

As you configure the connection, designate the correct server port, which is **995**, and then verify additional checkboxes as instructed. Finally, confirm the addition of the account. At this stage, synchronization between your old and new Gmail accounts will begin.

### Step 4: Monitor migration and finalize cleanup
The actual transfer of messages occurs automatically. The duration is heavily influenced by your total email load: for example, Chun’s aforementioned test involving 75,000 messages required close to two entire days for full migration. Once complete, your original Gmail inbox will release all transferred emails into the Trash folder. Remember to permanently empty the Trash, otherwise those files will continue occupying your quota. Based on Chun’s experience, permanently removing 75,000 trashed emails required nearly an hour.

It is important to understand the limitations of this process. Gmail will not move your Drafts or Spam folders to the archive account. While losing spam data is a welcome omission, verify that your Drafts folder does not contain any half-written but still-needed emails. If such drafts exist, a quick solution is to forward them to yourself for safekeeping.

### Step 5: Disable automatic transfers
Once your migration concludes and your primary inbox begins anew, you should halt the continuous synchronization process. Log into your new archive Gmail, return to the **Accounts and Import** tab, and under “Check mail from other accounts,” remove the connection to your original address. Google will prompt you to confirm; select OK. By doing so, your accounts become entirely distinct: one a clean inbox awaiting new correspondence, the other your comprehensive archival library.

By following this structured sequence, you avoid the time-draining ordeal of manually sorting through years of communication. Instead, you achieve both objectives simultaneously: a pristine inbox with complete storage restored, and an archival account where the history of your communications remains intact. The result is a rare balance of digital minimalism and preservation—15 gigabytes of fresh capacity and an inbox zero environment, without sacrificing the emails that matter most.

Sourse: https://www.zdnet.com/article/i-unlocked-15gb-more-gmail-storage-for-free-without-deleting-a-single-email-or-file/