Google Enhances Android Backup Controls in Play Services Update, Adds Document Sync to Google Drive Amid Storage Limit Cut
Google is rolling out significant changes to the Android backup system, giving users greater control over what data is stored in the cloud while introducing new capabilities that could rapidly consume storage space on Google Drive.
In the latest update to Google Play Services version 26.25, the company has added a dedicated toggle for messaging backups, allowing users to separately enable or disable the automatic saving of SMS, MMS, and RCS conversations. Previously, these message types were backed up automatically without an easy way to opt out. Notably, RCS messages are now grouped under the MMS category, making the option less obvious to most users.
The backup settings can be found on most devices by navigating to Settings — Accounts and backup — Google Backup — Other device data. This section also includes options for call history and system settings, providing a centralized location for managing non-app data backups.
A more prominent addition is the new document backup feature. Android can now automatically upload files in formats such as DOC, PPT, XLS, PDF, and others to Google Drive, placing them in a folder named after the specific device. Users can also trigger a manual backup at any time. However, this functions as a one-time copy rather than true synchronization, meaning changes made to the original file on the device will not automatically reflect in the cloud version.
These enhancements arrive alongside Google's decision to reduce the free storage allowance from 15 GB to just 5 GB, with all Android backup data now counting toward this limit. While a standard backup typically occupies around 40 MB, including documents can quickly turn it into a much larger archive, potentially leading to storage warnings or the need to purchase additional space.
Overall, the update aims to make backups more flexible and useful for preserving important files, but users are advised to monitor their Google Drive quota carefully to avoid unexpected storage issues.
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