A surprise policy to limit Google Drive files leaves some users feeling short

Google has set a strict limit on the number of files Drive users can have in a single account. According to a report from Ars Technica(Opens in a new tab). The rollout came without warning and many paying Drive users suddenly found themselves besieged by new file uploads.

As Ars Technica reported, the file limit wasn’t a bug as some Reddit users had suspected. A Google spokesperson confirmed to the publication that the restriction was “a safeguard to prevent abuse of our system in a way that could affect the stability and security of the system.”

While a sudden rollout that has affected accounts for months sounds scary, it really isn’t. The file limit imposed by Google is 5 million. The average user is nowhere near that number on their Drive account, and the company told Ars Technica that “the number of affected users here is very small.”

However, the sudden rollout came without a public statement from Google. Ars Technica writes that File Cap has been in operation since at least February, leaving users in limbo with no explanation. A particularly troubling revelation for those paying large sums for Google Workspace plan packages.

For 30TB of storage with Google One, the company charges a whopping $150 a month, and with an Enterprise plan, Google promises(Opens in a new tab) “As much storage space as you need.” Needless to say, setting a strict limit on the number of individual files undermines this claim.

The company added an additional nuance, explaining to Ars Technica that the limit applies to “the number of items a single user can create in any one drive,” not the “total maximum for all files in a drive.”

Google did not immediately respond to Mashable’s request for comment.