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According to this Google documents (Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Photos, etc.) don't count towards storage used on Google Drive.

Does this mean if you copy and past an image or video into a Google Docs or convert a PowerPoint presentation into a Google Slides this wouldn't use up any space?

Are there tools for doing this in bulk?

For example, you have 20 images could they automatically be copied and pasted in Docs named after the image names themselves?

Or ten .pptx all be converted to a Google Slides?

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    @Celeritas I have the same question. It might be a loophole if and only if the process of embedding images into documents could be automated (e.g., in bulk). I don't know if there is such a mechanism, but I would not be surprised if Google explicitly blocked or otherwise avoided documenting such a mechanism.
    – bgoodr
    Jul 29, 2017 at 22:42
  • @bgoodr It's worth noting that images inserting into a Google Doc are apparently not stored in original format, so you're getting the same free unlimited images you would from Google Photos storing in reduced size. As a test, I uploaded a 1.6MB image into a doc, then opened the image in a new tab and saved it, and exported as an html / zip file. Both images were in the 200kB range (although strangely, slightly difference sizes!)
    – Michael
    Oct 28, 2020 at 17:48

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I'm here just to say that this "loophole" is now being closed as of 1/6/21 according to Google:

Starting 1 June 2021, any newly created Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms or Jamboard files will count toward storage. Existing files will not count toward storage, unless they're modified on or after 1 June.

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  • thanks so I have to find another alternative to store photos
    – bormat
    Mar 20, 2021 at 0:18
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The answer is yes. Google Sheets, Docs, Slides and Photos (partially - if downsized) are not counted against Drive space. While inserting images into Docs, Sheets... may sound like a loophole, from a long run it's not very flexible. Inserted images in Sheets tend to broke and dropping too many files into the document will significantly increase the load time eg. slow down the document up to the point when Google document may crash. Another disadvantage would be the limited upload of 1 image at a time.

Also, note that initial files stay on your Drive after conversion, so you will need to delete them.

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Does this mean if you copy and past (sic) an image or video into a Google Docs or convert a PowerPoint presentation into a Google Slides this wouldn't use up any space?

Yes, that means that. It's worth to note that Google Photos has an option to store photos without using any storage quota.

Are there tools for doing this in bulk?

For example, you have 20 images could they automatically be copied and pasted in Docs named after the image names themselves?

You could use Google Apps Script of the Google Documents API to add images to a Google Documents document.

For photos you could use the Backup and Sync tool for PC / Mac or the mobile app for Android / iOS.

NOTE: To ask for a specific software recommendation please ask on https://softwarerecs.stackexchange.com

Or ten .pptx all be converted to a Google Slides?

You could set Google Drive to automatically convert uploading files or you could use Google Apps Script or the Google Drive API to convert web hosted PPTX files and other files formats to their Google "equivalent".

There is a gist and other examples on the web that uses Url Fetch service to do these conversions.

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