Changing Object Storage Classes

This page describes how to change the storage class of objects within a bucket through overwriting the object. To learn how to change object storage classes without overwriting an object, see the Object Lifecycle Management feature. To learn more about per-object storage classes, see Per-Object Storage Classes.

Console

Individual object storage classes cannot be set through the Console. Instead use gsutil.

gsutil

Use the -s flag in a rewrite command. For example:

gsutil rewrite -s [STORAGE_CLASS] gs://[PATH_TO_OBJECT]

Where [STORAGE_CLASS] is the new storage class for your object and [PATH_TO_OBJECT] is the name of the object whose class you're changing.

REST APIs

JSON API

Caution: ACLs that you want to retain from the original object must be included in the object resource that you provide in the request body.

1. Get an authorization access token from the OAuth 2.0 Playground. Configure the playground to use your own OAuth credentials.
2. Create a .json file that contains the following information, replacing [VALUES_IN_BRACKETS] with the appropriate values:

{
"storageClass": "[STORAGE_CLASS]"
}

3. Use cURL to call the JSON API, replacing [VALUES_IN_BRACKETS] with the appropriate values:

   curl -X POST --data-binary @[JSON_FILE_NAME].json \
       -H "Authorization: Bearer [OAUTH2_TOKEN]" \
       -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
       "https://www.googleapis.com/storage/v1/b/[BUCKET_NAME]/o/[OBJECT_NAME]/rewriteTo/b/[BUCKET_NAME]/o/[OBJECT_NAME]"

XML API

Caution: Metadata that you want to retain from the original object, such as custom metadata, must be included in the headers that you provide in the request. Additionally, any ACLs for the object that differ from the containing bucket's default object ACLs must be reapplied after the object is uploaded.

1. Get an authorization access token from the OAuth 2.0 Playground. Configure the playground to use your own OAuth credentials.
2. Include the object whose storage class should be changed in the request (you must re-upload the object when changing storage class with the XML API).
3. Use cURL to call the XML API, replacing [VALUES_IN_BRACKETS] with the appropriate values:

   curl -X PUT --data-binary @[OBJECT] \
       -H "Authorization: Bearer [OAUTH2_TOKEN]" \
       -H "Content-Type: [OBJECT_CONTENT_TYPE]" \
       -H "x-goog-storage-class: [STORAGE_CLASS]" \
       "https://storage.googleapis.com/[BUCKET_NAME]/[OBJECT_NAME]"

For more information, see the Set Object Storage Class page.

Note: This guide involves overwriting data. Retrieval and early deletion charges may apply if the data was originally stored as Nearline Storage or Coldline Storage. Also note that if you have enabled Object Versioning for your bucket, the original object remains in your bucket until it is explicitly deleted.