Why “Other” category in Google Storage is so large

When reviewing your Google storage breakdown on Google One or an Android device, you might notice an unexpectedly large category labeled “Other” consuming tens of gigabytes alongside Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. The “Other” category is not an error; it consists of hidden third-party application data, Android device backups, WhatsApp chat backups, and orphaned files that lack folder directories. Because these items do not fit into standard Google Docs, sheets, or media categories, Google bundles them into “Other.”

Quick Answer

The “Other” category is primarily filled with hidden app data (like WhatsApp backups or third-party tools linked to Drive), device system backups, and orphaned files. To clear it, open Google Drive on the web, navigate to Settings > Manage Apps, and delete hidden app data. Then, check your backups under Google One > Storage > Device backup.

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What Actually Lives in the “Other” Storage Category?

Google account storage is shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. When Google displays an “Other” section, either in Google One or on your mobile device’s Google storage management screen, it accounts for non-standard data types that do not appear in your everyday file lists:

1. Third-Party Application Data: Mobile scanners, note apps, video editors, and games often use your Google Drive as a silent cloud database. These apps store configuration files, temp saves, and sync logs in hidden app containers inside Drive that are invisible in your main folder view.
2. Device and WhatsApp Cloud Backups: Android system settings, SMS message histories, app data, and WhatsApp chat/media archives back up directly to Google’s cloud infrastructure. WhatsApp backups, in particular, count toward your Google storage quota and can easily consume 10 GB to 30 GB of space.
3. Orphaned Files (Unorganized Data): When a shared folder owned by another person is deleted, any files inside it that were created or uploaded by you remain your property. Since their containing folder no longer exists, they float unindexed without a parent folder, silently consuming storage.
4. Unsupported or Corrupted Binary Bloats: Disc images, encrypted archives, database dumps, and partial uploads that failed to finalize can be misclassified as generic non-standard data.

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Step 1: Delete Hidden Third-Party App Data in Google Drive

Many third-party apps leave gigabytes of residual cache and database files inside your Google Drive long after you have stopped using them. This data is hidden from your main file list, but you can purge it through Drive’s settings.

1. Open Google Drive on a desktop browser.
2. Click the Settings gear icon in the upper right corner and select Settings.
3. In the left navigation panel, click Manage Apps.
4. Scroll through the list of connected applications.
5. Look for apps with a note stating: “Hidden app data: [X] MB/GB”.
6. Click the Options drop-down menu next to the app and select Delete hidden app data.
7. Confirm the deletion.

Once cleared, the space previously tied up by that application is returned to your account.

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Step 2: Manage WhatsApp and Android System Backups

Device backups are managed through Google One rather than the standard Drive folder tree. If your “Other” usage is massive, phone backups are almost always the cause.

Inspect and Remove Device Backups:

1. Go to one.google.com/storage/management.
2. Scroll down to the Device backup or Clean up space section.
3. Review any listed devices. If you see old phones, tablets, or former devices you no longer own, click on them and select Delete backup.

Audit WhatsApp Storage:

WhatsApp media (especially video forwards) accounts for the largest share of backup data. For a complete guide on how WhatsApp interacts with your quota and how to trim it safely without losing your conversation history, see Troubleshooting WhatsApp Backup storage in Google Drive.

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Step 3: Hunt Down Orphaned Files

Orphaned files consume quota invisibly because they do not appear in any folder in your Drive. To expose them:

1. In the Google Drive search bar, type: is:unorganized owner:me

is:unorganized owner:me

1. Press Enter.
2. Review the returned items. If these are obsolete project assets, video files, or forgotten documents, select them and move them to the Trash.
3. Navigate to your Trash folder and click Empty trash to permanently purge them.

For deeper administrative methods to locate unlinked data across corporate or education domains, review How to Use is:unorganized to find hidden files and Troubleshooting “Orphaned” files and storage theft.

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Understanding Mobile Device “Other” vs. Cloud “Other”

If you are looking at your phone’s local storage menu (Settings > Storage on Android, or iPhone Storage on iOS) and seeing a massive “Other” or “System Data” block associated with Google Drive, you are looking at local cache bloat rather than cloud storage.

Mobile operating systems cache documents, video previews, and pending photo uploads locally on your phone’s physical SSD. If this local “Other” category is filling your phone, you need to clear the app’s local offline cache rather than deleting files from your cloud account.

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What to Do If the “Other” Total Does Not Drop

After deleting hidden app data, deleting device backups, and purging orphaned files:

• Allow Time for Indexing: Google’s storage breakdown engine does not calculate usage dynamically on every click. It typically takes between 4 to 24 hours for Google One to recalculate usage categories after large bulk purges.
• If your storage totals remain frozen after a full day, review Resolving the 24-Hour Latency in Storage Reporting to verify whether your deletions are still processing through Google’s backend pipeline.