If your Google Photos is full of images, deleting all your photos might be a good way to clean up and free up space. It might seem like a lot of work, but don't worry; this guide will make it easy to follow and help you organize your photo collection.
How to Delete Photos from Google Photos
If you want to remove pictures from Google Photos but keep them on your phone, there are two ways to do it:
Using the Google Photos app on your phone (Android and iOS)
Using Google Photos on a computer
Method 1: Using the Google Photos App on Your Phone
Step 1: Turn Off Backup
Before deleting anything, you need to turn off Backup. This prevents Google Photos from deleting pictures from your phone.
Open the Google Photos app.
Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
Go to Photos settings → Backup.
Turn off Backup.
If you use multiple devices with the same Google account, turn off backup on all of them. Otherwise, your photos may still get deleted when removed from Google Photos.
Step 2: Delete Photos from Google Photos
Go back to the Photos tab.
Select the photos you want to delete.
Tap the trash icon and confirm by selecting Move to Trash.
Step 3: Empty the Trash (Optional)
Deleted photos remain in the trash for 60 days before Google permanently removes them. If you want to delete them faster:
Go to the Library > Trash.
Tap Select > DeleteAll > Empty Trash.
Your selected photos are permanently deleted from Google Photos but still exist on your phone.
How to Delete Photos Faster on Your Phone
Google Photos doesn't let you select all photos at once, but you can speed up the process:
Open the Photos tab.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner.
Turn on Stack Similar Photos.
Change the layout to Month.
Now, you can select and delete entire months at once.
This method is faster than selecting photos one by one.
Method 2: Using Google Photos on a Computer
Deleting photos on a computer is much faster because you can select multiple photos at once.
Step 1: Turn Off Backup
Before deleting anything, make sure Backup is turned off on all devices where you want to keep photos.
To delete multiple photos, Click the first photo, hold Shift, then click the last photo to select all.
Click the trash icon (top-right) and confirm by selecting Move to Trash.
Step 3: Empty the Trash (Optional)
Go to the Trash section on the left sidebar.
Click Empty Trash and confirm.
Which Method is Better?
Use your phone if you only need to delete a few photos.
Use a computer if you want to delete many images quickly.
How Google Photos Backup & Syncing Works
Here's how it works:
When you upload a photo to Google Photos, it can be seen on any device where you're logged into Google Photos.
By default, any photo you take with your phone is automatically uploaded to Google Photos. You can't turn this off entirely unless you stop using the app.
If you turn off backup, new photos won't be uploaded to Google Photos, they will only stay on your phone.
If you delete a photo in Google Photos, it will be deleted from all your devices that are synced.
If you turn off backup, deleting a photo in Google Photos will still remove it from the cloud and other devices with backup turned on.
If you turn the backup back on, Google Photos will ask if you want to delete photos that are not backed up. Deleting them removes them from both your phone and Google Photos.
How to Stop Google Photos from Deleting Existing Photos
To prevent Google Photos from deleting your pictures:
Don't use the Free Up space option in Google Photos because it removes photos from your phone once backed up.
If you have a Google Pixel phone, check if Smart Storage is turned on. It automatically deletes photos older than 60 days if they've been backed up. To turn it off:
Open the Files in the Google app.
Tap the menu icon.
Tap Clean and look at your storage details.
4. Turn off Smart Storage.
Delete All Photos from Google and Stop Using Google Photos
If you want to delete everything from Google Photos:
The easiest way is to delete your Google account, but make sure you backup your photos and other data first.
If you want to stop using Google Photos but keep your account, follow these steps:
iPhone:
Uninstall the Google Photos app like any other app.
Android (since you can't entirely remove it):
Open Settings and go to Apps.
Find and select Google Photos.
Tap Disable, then confirm.
Tap ForceStop.
5. Go to Permissions and change everything to Deny.
6. Restart your phone to apply the changes.
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Can I get my photos back after deleting them from Google Photos?
Once you delete photos and empty the trash, they can't be recovered. Make sure to back them up first.
Will deleting photos from Google Photos delete them from other apps?
No, deleting photos from Google Photos won't affect other apps unless they're synced with them.
How can I stop Google Photos from automatically backing up my pictures?
Go to Google Photos settings and turn off Backup to stop automatic uploads.
Can I delete all my photos on my phone at once?
Google Photos doesn't let you delete all photos at once, but you can select multiple photos or entire months to delete them faster.
Wrapping Up!
Deleting all photos from Google Photos is straightforward when you follow these steps. Whether you're clearing space or starting fresh, this guide ensures you do it effectively. Take control of your Google Photos today!