Unlimited Storage Using Google Cloud Service Accounts: How to Get 18TB for Free!

If you’re looking to expand your Google Drive storage without paying for Google One, there’s an interesting trick using Google Cloud service accounts. By setting up multiple service accounts, you can unlock massive storage, potentially reaching 18TB or more using a single Gmail account! Sounds unbelievable? It’s not, and in this article, we’ll explain how you can make this work using Google Cloud and a special tool called SA Drive. This method is efficient, straightforward, and can help you manage storage more smartly.

Step 1: Create Service Accounts Using Scripts

To get started with unlimited Google Drive storage, you’ll need to create multiple Google Service Accounts. These accounts still receive 15GB of free storage each, but the key here is managing them collectively.

1. Access the Script on GitHub:
   There are several scripts available on GitHub that help you automate the creation of these service accounts. A trusted script that simplifies this process is provided by jsmaskeen.

   GitHub Repository: SA-Drive

   • Go to the GitHub repository and download the script for creating service accounts.
   • Follow the instructions provided there to execute the script on your machine.
   • Important: You can find video tutorials on GitHub that show how to generate and manage service accounts.

By using these scripts, you will easily generate multiple service accounts with 15GB of storage each.

Step 2: Install the Python Library (SA-Drive)

Now that you’ve created your service accounts, the next step is to install SA-Drive, a tool that helps you combine the storage from multiple Google accounts seamlessly.

1. Install Python if you haven’t already.
2. Install the SA-Drive library using the following command:

   pip install sadrive
   

This Python package allows you to integrate and manage the storage from all your service accounts, making it easy to upload and download files across multiple Google Drives as if it’s one unified storage.

Step 3: Follow the Steps on GitHub

Once you’ve set up your service accounts and installed SA-Drive, it’s time to follow the setup guide. For step-by-step instructions, visit the GitHub Repository.

Make sure you follow each step correctly to set up your accounts. You will be asked to input your JSON credentials, generated in Step 4. Also, make sure your gclone.exe path is properly configured to run the tool.

How to Create a Google Service Account and Generate a JSON Key

Before you can use the service accounts, you’ll need to set them up in Google Cloud and generate their credentials. Follow these steps to create a Google Service Account:

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Project

1. Go to Google Cloud Console: https://console.cloud.google.com
2. Click the project dropdown at the top and click “New Project”.
3. Enter a project name and click “Create”.
4. After the project is created, switch to that project.

Step 2: Enable Google Drive API

1. In the left menu, go to “APIs & Services” > “Library”.
2. Search for Google Drive API.
3. Click on the API and then click “Enable” to activate it for your project.

Step 3: Create a Service Account

1. In the left menu, go to “IAM & Admin” > “Service Accounts”.
2. Click “Create Service Account”.
3. Enter a name and description for your service account, then click “Create and Continue”.
4. Assign a role like Editor or Drive Admin for Google Drive access.
5. Click “Done” to finish.

Step 4: Generate the JSON Key File

1. In the list of service accounts, click the one you just created.
2. Go to the “Keys” tab.
3. Click “Add Key” > “Create new key”.
4. Choose JSON as the key type and click “Create”.
5. Your JSON file will automatically download, which will be used to authenticate the service account.

How to Use the Service Account with SA-Drive

Once you have your service accounts set up and the JSON credentials downloaded, you’ll need to:

1. Go to Google Groups and create a group mail (something like [email protected]).
2. In your original Google Drive, create a new folder.
3. Share the folder with the group email address, giving it editor access.
4. Create a folder named config_dir and copy the accounts folder (created during the service account setup) into this folder.
5. Create a config.json file and insert the folder ID and path to gclone.exe. Make sure to use double backslashes for paths.

Example config:

{
  "parent_id": "1at0dM_hN2GFVn8ANGOlFwvo5ZcJy38XC",
  "path_to_gclone.exe": "C:\\Users\\HEMAN\\Desktop\\\\gclone-l3v11\\gclone.exe"
}

How Much Storage Can You Unlock with One Gmail Account?

Here’s where it gets wild. Let’s break it down:

• If you use 1 Gmail to create 12 Google projects (the maximum allowed), each with 100 service accounts, you get:
  • 1200 accounts × 15GB = 18 TB of storage.

So, with just 1 Gmail account, you can unlock a staggering 18 TB of free storage!

Why Does This Work?

Google still gives each old service account 15GB of free storage, and by creating and combining multiple accounts, you’re essentially creating a massive, scalable cloud storage solution without needing to pay for Google One.

• The tool helps you mount these accounts like folders, and it automatically distributes files across them.
• You’re not “cheating” the system; you’re simply managing the space smarter.

Conclusion

With just a few simple steps, you can unlock unlimited storage on Google Drive using Google Cloud service accounts. Whether you need space for movies, backups, or other files, this method provides you with a clever, scalable solution. It’s easy to set up, and once you follow the steps, you’ll have access to TBs of storage without spending a dime.

FAQs

1. How many service accounts can I create with one Gmail?
   You can create up to 12 Google projects per Gmail, and each project can have up to 100 service accounts, giving you substantial storage capacity.
2. Is this method legal?
   Yes, as long as you are following Google’s terms of service. This method uses Google Cloud’s free storage and doesn’t violate any policies.
3. Can I use this storage for large files like videos?
   Absolutely! You can upload and store videos, movies, or any large files across the multiple service accounts.
4. Is there any risk involved in using this method?
   The method itself is safe as long as you follow the instructions correctly and use trusted tools like SA-Drive.
5. Do I need to pay for anything?
   No, this method uses Google’s free storage and free API access, so no payments are required.
6. Can I use this method with other Google services?
   This method is primarily designed for Google Drive, but you can use it in conjunction with other services that require Google Cloud authentication.

Enjoy your unlimited Google Drive storage and manage your files in a smarter, more efficient way with Google Cloud service accounts!