G Drive Full but No Files? Efficient Fixes!

Google Drive says storage full but it’s not!

Are you surprised that G drive full but no files? To some degree, it’s right because your Google account storage is used across all your Google services, such as Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Gmail.

Google Drive says storage full but it’s not? Be bothered by this issue? Eager to fix it? Want feasible fixes? Get answers below.

Part 1. How do I fix Google Drive full storage?

My Google Drive full but no files, how do I fix Google Drive full storage? We’d like to introduce five fixes for your reference. To locate your targeted method quickly, please guess the related content based on their titles.

Fix 1. Empty Google Drive trash

For Google Drive, there’s also a temporary storage place, Trash. Where do deleted files go in Google Drive? Before permanent deletion, the recently deleted files still consume your cloud storage space. Thus, you can empty your Google Drive trash to release storage space.  

Step 1. Log into your Google Drive account and click “Trash” on the left sidebar.

Step 2. Click “Trash” one more time and select “Empty trash” from the menu.

For iOS devices and Android phones, it’s possible for you to free up the limited storage space by emptying the Trash.  

Fix 2. Check Google Photos storage

Although Google has offered free 15GB storage space for you, is your G drive full but no files? For Google Photos, it’s necessary for you to compress the original photos/videos to back them up because the original size can count against your Google storage.

Step 1. Log into Google Photos, then click Main > Settings.

Step 2. Select the “High quality (free unlimited storage)” option.

Step 3. Click the “Compress” button.

Fix 3. Check Gmail storage

Besides Google Photos, please check and delete unnecessary messages and attachments from your Gmail.

Step 1. Open your Gmail and log in with your Google account. After that, “Delete” your unnecessary emails.

Step 2. In the left sidebar, click More > Bin.

Step 3. Click “OK” to confirm deleted messages.

Fix 4. Delete hidden app data stored on Google Drive

Why Google Drive says storage full but it’s not? Sometimes, apps linked to your Google Drive storage space could contain hidden apps and their data. This is how you can delete hidden app data stored on Google Drive to release space.

Step 1. Go to the Google Drive site with your Google account, then click the gear icon at the top of the site.

Step 2. Click Settings > Manage Apps.

Step 3. Locate your hidden apps and click Options. Then click the “Delete hidden apps and data” button.

After the process, you can also empty your Trash.

Fix 5. Clear cache on websites

If you’re not welcome data erasure using the above solutions, maybe this fix is right for you because clearing the cache is not the same as data destruction. Let’s show how it works.

Step 1. Launch the Google Chrome webpage, and click the padlock-shaped symbol > Site Settings.

Step 2. Under the usage section, click the “Clear Data” button. When you’re prompted, please click Clear Data again to confirm.

Part 2. How to recover deleted files from Google Drive?

If your G drive full but no files, read the first part to get feasible fixes. However, there’re always many regrets after data erasure. This part is ready for those users who’re seeking ways to recover deleted files from Google Drive.

For online files, you can go to Google Drive recover deleted files from the Trash within 30 days. After 30 days, you need to ask for help from Google Admin or contact Google Drive Help to recover permanently deleted files from Google Drive.

For offline files, you can restore files from backups made by File History or free backup software for Windows or use professional file recovery software to recover them.

Method 1. Recover offline Google Drive files via File History

Windows File History is ready to create copies of files in Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Desktop folder, and OneDrive offline files saved on your PCs.   

Notes:✎...   

Win7 users cannot use File History because this feature made its debut in Windows 8.0 operating system.  

After activating File History or turning on the System Protection of the local disk that saves your offline OneDrive files, you can restore the original OneDrive offline files even if they were deleted, lost, or damaged.

With File History or System Protection on, you can recover overwritten PowerPoint files in Windows 10/11.

Step 1. Open the “Control Panel” by typing it in the search bar. Then click the “System and Security” button.

Step 2. Go to File History and select the “Restore your files with File History” option.

Step 3. Click the “Restore personal files” button.

Step 4. “Restore” your desired offline Google Drive files to the previously saved path. If you need, right-click “Restore” and select “Restore to” to store these recovered files in your specified location.

Method 2. Recover offline Google Drive files via data recovery software

Nevertheless, if you never tried to make backups via Windows features, not to mention using any backup software. So the above way is useless for those users without backups.

As stated earlier, there’s no better way than utilizing reliable data recovery software like MyRecover to recover offline Google Drive files if there’s no backup for you.

Supposed that your offline Google Drive files are Word files. Let’s show how it works.   

★Tips: 

Recover the deleted/lost Word, Excel, PPT, PDF, photos, videos, audio, folders, and other 200+ types of data from HDD, USB, SD cards, and other storage devices.

Judge the recovered files according to their original paths, filenames, and format.   

During Quick Scan and Deep Scan, enter filenames in the search bar to locate your desired files or wait to find all the deleted and other lost files on your computers.

Support NTFS, exFAT, FAT32, and ReFS file systems.

Download MyRecover on your Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, or Windows Server computers!

Step 1. After loading the disk, hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.

Step 2. You can search your needed Word files or wait to view all the deleted and other missing files.

Step 3. Go to the Deleted Files/Other Missing Files folder, and click “Recover x files” to get your selected offline Google Drive files back. After the recovery process, please store them in another path.

Related suggestions

G drive full but no files, how do I free up space on my G drive? After accidental/intentional deletion, how to use Google Drive recover deleted files?

Please read the above content to get corresponding fixes to address these two issues.

To avoid data loss, please consider the following data loss prevention tips and put them into practice.

• Don’t empty the Trash or the Recycle Bin from time to time.
• For Google Drive, try to share vital documents with contacts.
• Use Windows features or free backup software for Windows to back up files, disks, partitions, or the system because only regular backups are the best hedge against data loss.