Please set aside a few minutes to clean up files in Google Drive and Gmail that you no longer need, especially files that are large in size.
The fastest way to clean up files in Drive and Gmail is to search by file size.
Since 2008, Boise State has enjoyed unlimited storage in Google Workspace. Google now requires Boise State to pay for storage, based on the amount being used. Because we’ve been saving everything, there is no accurate way to see how much storage we actually need, so we are asking users to clean up their files.
In Gmail, you can find your storage usage by looking at the bottom left-hand side of the page.
In Google Drive, you can find your storage usage by looking at the left-hand side of the page. It’s displayed below Storage at the bottom of the menu.
You can also visit https://drive.google.com/settings/storage to see your storage usage.
No. We are only asking users to delete files they no longer need. (As a reminder, personal files should not be stored in your Boise State Google Workspace account.)
No. At this time, there will not be storage limits for user accounts.
Yes. If you manage a department Google Workspace account, please log in to that account and remove any files your department no longer needs.
Files deleted in Drive and Gmail are first moved to Trash. Trash is automatically deleted every 30 days, unless you do it manually. Until Trash is emptied, the deleted files will still be included in the storage amount.
Currently, Google file types (such as Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc.) do not count toward the amount of storage used. It is still a good idea to remove any files that are no longer needed, regardless of file type.
To ensure compliance with University Policy 1020, faculty and staff may utilize University Archives to permanently preserve documents. The best way is to download folders as zip files or individual files.
Visit the University Archives website for more information.
Google storage cleanup will be a university-wide effort. There are many aspects to managing our storage at Boise State, and we will be deleting inactive accounts and taking additional steps to reduce our overall storage footprint.
For more information, contact the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357, helpdesk@boisestate.edu, chat, or Help Desk Self Service.