In this latest update spotted by 9To5Google, Google added extra information that allows you to view the amount of your valuable Google One storage quota each photo uses, along with the selected backup quality. If you have received the update, and not everyone has, you can view the new information by going to the Google Photos web interface, viewing a photo or video, and clicking the 'i' icon for more information.
Here, you will see a variable list of background information about your photo, including the time and date it was taken, file name, size, location of the shot, and the type of device used to upload it. In this update, Google added a new "Backed up" section that shows whether an image is stored in Google's efficient but lower quality "storage saver" mode or the larger, "original quality" mode. It also shows the file size in megabytes so you can manage your storage space more effectively.
If your photo was uploaded under one of Google's previous unlimited storage plans, you will be informed that the file does not take up space in your account's storage. This means that if you have empty space to free up storage, you can now easily see which files can safely be left alone.
Once again, Google has not made this feature available to everyone, so if you don't see it right away, you may need to wait until it is enabled on your account.
This new update complements Google's existing storage management options, for which I have provided a brief reminder below:
Managing Storage in Google Photos
Google Photos allows you to choose the upload size of your photos and videos to manage your storage space. Depending on the storage plan in effect when your photos were uploaded, they may or may not contribute to your overall Google One storage quota.
If your space is running low, you can use Google's storage management functions to find and delete large photos and videos you no longer need. This function only shows you media that is deducted from your storage quota; anything uploaded under an earlier free storage option will not appear here, because deleting them would not leave any storage space anyway.
However, this method only allows you to view and delete the best storage spaces determined by Google. Since the new update, you can view the information for any photo or video you like.
This seems to be exactly what's happening here. Although the new options are reportedly widely available in Google Photos version 5.97, not all devices will show the same shortcut options. In some cases, updating the Google Photos app to the latest version enables the features, but this doesn't always work.
Beyond that, while it's nice to have the screenshots shortcut, it only shows screenshots stored on your local device, not those stored in Google Photos in the cloud. For me, the free up space shortcut is potentially more useful as it is a task that may need to be completed frequently if your Google One storage space is approaching its limit.
