Bad news, Amazon Prime members - one of your best perks is being taken away

Amazon Prime package with two credit cards on top
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Ascannio)

Amazon has revealed it is closing its cloud storage platform in another consolidation push from the tech giant.

The company has emailed Amazon Drive customers to confirm that the service will be closing at the end of next year.

The move comes as part of Amazon's push towards its Amazon Photos service, which will now become a central location for photo and video storage.

Amazon Drive closure

"Over the last 11 years, Amazon Drive has served as a secure cloud storage service for Amazon customers to back up their files," the company's email to customers read. 

"On December 31, 2023, we will no longer support Amazon Drive to more fully focus our efforts on photos and video storage with Amazon Photos. We will continue to provide customers the ability to safely back up, share, and organize photos and videos with Amazon Photos."

Users will need to download all their files by the closing date, but existing Amazon users will have had their photo and video files automatically saved to Amazon Photos.

The service will remain fully operational until December 31, 2023, but the company says that, from January 31, 2023, it will no longer support uploading files on the Amazon Drive website.

It adds that the Amazon Photos app is available on iOS, Android and desktop users now - and existing Amazon Prime members get free, unlimited full-resolution photo storage and 5GB video storage. Non-Prime members get 5GB of free storage for photos and video.

New Amazon Photos members will be able to pick from a selection of monthly and annual storage plans. The service allows users to display photos on Amazon devices such as the Fire TV, Echo Show and its Fire Tablets, and its Family Vault service allows Amazon Prime members to invite up to five members to receive "unlimited photo storage, and collect photos together".

Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.

Read more
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe will kill its popular 20GB Photoshop & Lightroom plans very soon, so make sure you make the right move
Photographer taking a travel portrait
Best cloud storage for photos of 2025
Skype video conferencing
Amazon is ending support for its business calls and meetings service
A photographer taking a photograph at the camera.
Best Google Photos alternative of 2025
unlimited cloud storage
Best unlimited cloud storage deals in 2025
Microsoft OneDrive website under a magnifying glass. Microsoft OneDrive is a file hosting service.
Still keeping data in unlicensed Microsoft OneDrive? Act now or lose it forever
Latest in Pro
Google DeepMind panel discussion
“More sovereignty and protection” - Google goes all-in on UK AI with data residency, upskilling projects, and startup investments
A graphic showing someone on a tablet working through a supply chain.
Security issue in open source software leaves businesses concerned for systems
European Union technical background
EU tech companies push for digital sovereignty, reducing reliance on US and others
ransomware avast
One of the most powerful ransomware hacks around has been cracked using some serious GPU power
person at a computer
Infamous ransomware hackers reveal new tool to brute-force VPNs
Adobe Summit 2025
Adobe Summit 2025 - all the news and updates as it happens
Latest in News
Metroid Prime 4
I reckon the Nintendo Switch 2 could launch with Metroid Prime 4 – here’s why
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
New rumors predict a foldable iPhone will launch next year – and cost almost twice as much as the iPhone 16 Pro Max
Pebble smartwatch countdown
Pebble confirms its smartwatch announcement is just hours away
Logo of YouTube Shorts
Is YouTube auto-playing Shorts when you open the app? Well, you’re not alone - here’s how to fix it
Google DeepMind panel discussion
“More sovereignty and protection” - Google goes all-in on UK AI with data residency, upskilling projects, and startup investments
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 expected to have AI upscaling and I can't wait to finally play Tears of the Kingdom with upgraded graphics