UW-Madison Google Workspace - UW-Madison Google Workspace Accounts vs. Personal Google Accounts

What is a UW-Madison Google Workspace account?

Eligibility: Current UW-Madison faculty, staff, and students.         

A UW-Madison Google Workspace account provides free access to applications such as:

• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Google Sheets
• Google Groups
• Gemini
• NotebookLM
• Google Workspace Studio (coming January 2026)
• and more

Additional benefits include:

• Increase storage quota at no additional cost. 
• Intellectual property protection.
• No ads.
• Access to Shared drives.
• Technical support for core apps through the DoIT Help Desk.
• Credentials are not stored in Google services
• Covered by UW-Madison Google Workspace Terms of Service
• and more

Note: The availability of applications and features is subject to change without notice.

How does a personal Google account differ from a UW-Madison Google Workspace account?

Some differences for individuals using a personal Google account include:

• 15 GB quota. Additional storage available at cost.
• Cannot create a Shared drive.
• Data is not protected by the UW-Madison Google Workspace Terms of Service.
• Little to no technical support from the vendor.
• UW-Madison cannot assure users where their data is stored.
• Users will be subject to the jurisdiction in the courts of California in any legal proceedings.
• Representation by UW-Madison Legal Services cannot be assumed.

How can I tell which account I am logged into?

Below are quick tips on how to recognize which account you're logged into.

Feature	Personal Google account (@gmail.com)	UW-Madison Google Workspace account (@wisc.edu)
Logo	No UW-Madison logo	UW-Madison logo
Storage quota	Default: 15 GB	Default: 25 GB (Additional storage can be requested at no additional cost)
Shared drive option	The New button is grayed out and unavailable when Shared drive is selected.	The New button is available to create new Shared drives.

How can I keep my personal Google account separate from my UW-Madison Google Workspace account?

Below are quick tips on how to keep your personal Google account separate from your UW-Madison Google Workspace account.

• • (Highly recommended) Create separate browser profiles using Google Chrome.

    • • See UW-Madison Google Workspace - Working with Multiple Google Accounts Simultaneously

    No, do not add another Google account.	Yes, create a separate Chrome profile.

  • Use separate browsers for each account.

    • Example: You can use Firefox for your personal Google account and Google Chrome for your UW-Madison Google Workspace account.

  • Assign a different photo for each account.

    • Learn how to add or change your profile picture.