If your Google Workspace storage is nearing its limit, you might delete old documents, empty the trash, and clear out your Gmail inbox, only to find that your Drive is still mysteriously full. Often, the culprit is “Hidden App Data.” Many third-party applications, browser extensions, and mobile games use your Google Drive to store configuration files, backups, and save states. Because this data is hidden by default, it can consume gigabytes of space without you ever seeing it.
What is Hidden App Data?
When you grant a third-party application permission to connect to your Google account (like a WhatsApp backup or an online diagramming tool), Google provisions a hidden, dedicated folder within your Drive for that app to use. This prevents apps from cluttering your main workspace, but it also means you cannot delete their files through the normal Drive interface.
How to View and Delete Hidden App Data
To regain control of your storage, you must manage these connected apps through the Drive settings menu.
- Open your web browser and navigate to Google Drive.
- In the top-right corner, click the Gear icon (Settings).
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- In the left-hand navigation pane of the Settings window, click on Manage apps.
- You will see a list of every third-party application connected to your Google Drive.
- Scroll through the list and look at the text under each app’s name. It will explicitly state if the app is using hidden storage (e.g., “Hidden app data: 5.2 GB”).
Revoking Access vs. Deleting Data
When you find an app consuming significant space (especially one you no longer use), click the Options button next to it. You will have two choices:
- Disconnect from Drive: This revokes the app’s permission to access your Google account in the future, but it does not delete the existing data.
- Delete hidden app data: This permanently purges the hidden files, immediately freeing up your storage quota.
To thoroughly clean your account, select Delete hidden app data first, confirm the deletion in the pop-up warning, and then select Disconnect from Drive to sever the connection entirely. Note that deleting this data will erase any backups or save states associated with that specific application.