I freed up 10GB of storage by replacing 5 Google apps with smaller alternatives

After purchasing a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL with 256 GB of storage, the writer quickly realized that the storage would not last long. Within a few months, nearly half of the device's storage was used up, prompting the writer to seek a solution. The writer discovered that replacing certain Google apps with smaller alternatives could reclaim a significant amount of space, without deleting personal media like photos or videos.

The writer identified YouTube Music as a primary culprit, as it consumed 5GB of storage by caching music data aggressively. To address this, the writer switched to streaming YouTube Music through a web browser, avoiding the installation of the standalone app package and associated storage consumption. The writer found that core features like skipping tracks and starting mixes were still functional, even when the phone was locked. However, background playback was not available, which was disappointing.

The writer also noted that Google Maps consumed a considerable amount of storage, taking up over a gigabyte. To mitigate this, the writer switched to Here WeGo, a lighter navigation app that took up just over 100MB of storage. The writer continued using Google Search for general queries and found the integrated mini-map in Search to be a reliable alternative to the Maps app.

In addition to replacing Google apps, the writer suggested uninstalling redundant utilities like Google Fit and Gboard, as well as using third-party keyboards. By making these changes, the writer reclaimed a total of 10GB of storage space, without sacrificing personal media or essential functionality.