Enter your storage needs
Use quick presets for typical file sizes — or switch to custom values. The goal is a realistic estimate that leaves room for growth (so you don’t hit “Storage Full” at the worst time).
Storage Space Estimator
Wondering how much storage you actually need for your phone, laptop, SSD, external drive, or cloud backup? This free Storage Space Estimator adds up photos, videos, apps, music, documents, and “everything else” — then recommends a storage size (like 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB) with a safety buffer.
📷Photos + videos + files in one estimate
📦Includes overhead + safety buffer
🧠Recommends a practical plan size
📱Perfect for screenshots & sharing
📚 How it works
Storage Space Estimator: formula + logic
The estimator converts everything into the same unit (megabytes), totals it up, then converts to gigabytes/terabytes. Finally, it adds two real-world adjustments: (1) usable space (file system / system overhead) and (2) a safety buffer so your storage doesn’t hit 99% on day one.
Step 1: Estimate each category
- Photos:
photoCount × avgPhotoMB - Videos:
videoMinutes × avgVideoMBPerMinute - Music/podcasts:
musicHours × avgAudioMBPerHour - Documents:
docCount × avgDocMB - Apps + games + other: entered directly as GB and converted to MB
Step 2: Convert to GB and TB
- GB (decimal):
totalMB ÷ 1000 ÷ 1000 - TB (decimal):
totalGB ÷ 1000
Step 3: Add system reserved + buffer
- System reserved: added in GB (phones often reserve space for OS + updates)
- Safety buffer:
finalGB = (contentGB + systemGB) × (1 + bufferPct/100)
Step 4: Recommend a plan size
The recommendation picks the next standard size above your final estimate (64 / 128 / 256 / 512 / 1TB / 2TB / 4TB). If your estimate is close to the limit, the tool nudges you upward because “nearly full” storage can slow devices down and makes backups harder.
✅ Examples
Real-life storage examples
Example 1: Phone photo + video heavy
You have 12,000 photos at 3.5 MB each (~42 GB), 900 minutes of 1080p video at 130 MB/min (~117 GB), 200 hours of music (~12 GB), plus apps (18 GB), games (35 GB), documents (2 GB), and 12 GB system reserved. Total content is roughly 42 + 117 + 12 + 18 + 35 + 2 = 226 GB. Add 12 GB system = 238 GB. With a 20% buffer: 238 × 1.20 = 286 GB. Recommendation: 512 GB.
Example 2: Work laptop (docs + apps)
6,000 documents averaging 0.6 MB (~3.6 GB), 2,000 photos (~7 GB), 60 minutes of video (~8 GB), apps/tools (45 GB), and other files (20 GB). With 20% buffer, you land around 100–120 GB. Recommendation: 256 GB (comfortable breathing room).
Example 3: External backup drive
If you’re backing up multiple devices, sum each device’s estimate. Two phones (~300 GB each) plus a laptop (~300 GB) suggests ~900 GB content. Add buffer and overhead: choose a 2 TB drive so you can keep older backups too.
❓ FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why does my “128 GB” device show less usable space?
Manufacturers often label storage using decimal gigabytes (1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes) while operating systems may report in binary units (GiB, where 1 GiB ≈ 1.074 GB). Plus, devices reserve space for the OS, updates, cache, and file system overhead. That’s why a new 128 GB device may show something like ~110–120 GB usable before you install anything.
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Are the photo/video presets accurate?
They’re realistic averages. Actual sizes vary by device, codec (H.264 vs HEVC), frame rate, HDR, “Pro/RAW” modes, and whether your phone uses HEIC/HEIF. If you know your typical file size, switch to Custom for best accuracy.
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What safety buffer should I use?
15–25% is a good default for most people. Use 25–40% if you record lots of 4K video, install big games, or want space for OS updates and temporary files. For long-term backup drives, 30% is a comfortable buffer.
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Should I count cloud storage the same way as local storage?
Mostly yes — but cloud plans often include extra overhead (version history, shared folders, duplicate backups). If you use cloud backup for multiple devices, add everything together and consider a larger buffer.
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What if I don’t know my photo/video counts?
Use quick estimates: many phones show photo and video counts in the gallery/library app. Or start with a guess (like 5,000 photos, 200 minutes of video) and adjust after you see the result.
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Does “nearly full” storage slow down my phone/laptop?
It can. Devices and file systems need free space for updates, caching, swap space, and temporary files. Keeping 10–20% free helps performance and reduces “can’t install/update” errors.
🧩 Tips
How to reduce storage without losing memories
- Turn on optimized photo storage: many phones can keep smaller local copies and store originals in the cloud.
- Clean large videos: delete long 4K clips you don’t need, or export/archive them to an external drive.
- Offload unused apps: remove apps you rarely use (you can usually re-download later).
- Compress duplicates: keep only one copy of the same file across your downloads, chats, and desktop.
- Plan backups: a backup drive should be larger than your current use so it can store multiple versions over time.
If you’re buying storage for work or professional media (RAW photo libraries, 4K/8K editing), consider using this estimator as a starting point — then check your actual average file sizes from a sample folder.
🔗 Related Everyday Tools
More useful calculators
Hand-picked interlinks from the Everyday category page:
- File Download Time
- Data Usage Estimator
- Cloud Backup Size Estimator
- Subscription Cleanup Helper
- Typing Speed Helper
- Online Meeting Time Zone
- Newsletter Send Time Helper
- Social Media Detox Planner
- Electricity Cost Estimator
- Water Bill Estimator
- Moving Boxes Estimator
- Laundry Load Planner
- Room Area Calculator
- Mortgage Payment Estimator
- Paint Calculator
- Tile Calculator
- Daily Schedule Planner
- Pomodoro Session Planner
- To-Do Time Estimator
- Meeting Cost Calculator
MaximCalculator provides simple, user-friendly tools. Always double-check important storage purchases with your device’s real usage stats (Settings → Storage). This page is designed to be helpful, not a guarantee.