UA System Office Concludes Google Photos Access; Prepares for December Storage Deadline

June 6, 2025

As part of ongoing efforts to manage digital storage, OIT officially ended access to Google Photos within UA Google Workspace as planned on May 31, 2025. Thank you to everyone who helped by deleting photos from the Google Photos App. This move aligns with UA's broader strategy to comply with Google's updated storage policies and to mitigate escalating storage costs.

The discontinuation of Google Photos is a significant step in UA's plan to reduce its digital storage footprint. In 2021, Google announced the end of unlimited storage for Google Workspace for Education, setting a new model that took effect in July 2022.

Action Required: Data Management Before December 31, 2025
UA faculty, staff, and students are urged to proactively manage their digital storage:

  • Personal Data: Individuals should back up or migrate personal files, including photos and documents, from UA Google Drive accounts to personal storage solutions. Personal data should not reside on UA cloud storage or work-related devices.
  • Work-Related Data: Employees should review Google Drive content and delete any files that are no longer needed.

Best Practices for Efficient Storage Management
To facilitate a smooth transition and ensure compliance with the upcoming storage limits, UA recommends the following best practices:

  • Regularly Review Storage Usage: Periodically assess your storage consumption to identify and delete unnecessary or outdated files. For an overview of your entire UA Google storage usage, along with current quotas, visit
  • Organize Files: Maintain concise folder and file names, while steering away from a structure of folders within folders. This eases access and reduces file redundancy.
  • Review File ownership: If you have shared documents in your drive that are used by a group or team, move them into a shared drive.
  • Review Permissions: Regularly audit members of each shared drive. Ensure that access is granted appropriately and revoke permissions that are no longer necessary

Support and Resources

Campus IT departments are available to assist with storage management and to provide guidance on best practices. For more information and resources, or to request access to an archived Google Photos account, visit the UA Google Storage Project FAQs or contact  your local IT help desk:  |  | .


By taking proactive steps now, UA community members can ensure a seamless transition ahead of the December 31, 2025, storage policy enforcement, thereby contributing to the university's commitment to sustainable and cost-effective digital resource management.