According to a report by The Verge, users of the G Suite legacy free edition will transition to a pooled storage system within Google Workspace, effective May 1, 2025. This change means that the individual 15GB storage allocations previously provided to each user will now be combined into a shared storage pool accessible by all users within an organization.
The G Suite legacy free edition, discontinued in 2012, allowed users to continue accessing Workspace services without charge. Google’s shift to pooled storage aims to simplify storage management by eliminating per-user storage limits, offering a more flexible approach. Jenny Thomson, a Google spokesperson, stated that this model has benefited Workspace customers for years and is now being extended to legacy users.
Administrators can monitor storage usage and the total storage pool through the Google Admin Console under the Storage section. While the overall storage capacity remains unchanged, organizations requiring additional space can purchase more at discounted rates, starting with 100GB increments. Specific discount details have not been disclosed.
To prevent individual users from consuming disproportionate amounts of storage, administrators have the option to set storage limits for each user within the shared pool. However, these limitations must be manually configured.
This transition to pooled storage is automatic, requiring no action from users, and opting out is not available. The move is designed to enhance storage management flexibility, particularly benefiting groups or families sharing a collective domain.
Previously, in 2022, Google attempted to transition legacy G Suite users to subscription plans with pooled storage but later allowed them to retain their free accounts for personal use. The current change reflects Google’s ongoing efforts to streamline storage management across its services.
Overall, this update signifies Google’s commitment to providing a more unified and efficient storage solution for all Workspace users, aligning legacy systems with current offerings.
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