Deleting photos from Google Photos can be confusing, especially if you want to keep them on your phone. This guide provides clear, step-by-step instructions on how to delete photos from Google Photos without losing them from your devices. We’ll also cover how Google Photos syncing works and how to prevent accidental deletions.
Deleting Photos While Keeping Them on Your Devices
There are two ways to delete photos from Google Photos while preserving them on your phone or computer: using the Google Photos app or using a web browser.
Deleting Photos Using the Google Photos App (Android and iOS)
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Disable Backup: Open the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture, go to “Backup,” and disable “Backup photos & videos on this device automatically.” Repeat this on all devices where you want to keep the photos. This crucial step prevents the photos from being deleted from your devices when you remove them from Google Photos.
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Select and Delete: Go back to the main Photos view. Select the photos you wish to delete. Tap the trash can icon and confirm by selecting “Move to trash.”
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Empty Trash (Optional): Deleted photos remain in the trash for 60 days before being permanently deleted. To delete them immediately, go to “Library,” then “Trash.” Tap “Select,” then “Delete all,” and confirm.
Tip for Selecting Multiple Photos: While Google Photos doesn’t have a “select all” option, you can enable “Stack similar photos” and set the layout to “Month” to select all photos within a month more easily.
Deleting Photos Using a Web Browser
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Disable Backup (as described above).
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Open Google Photos: Go to photos.google.com in your browser and log in.
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Select Photos: Use Shift-click to select multiple photos or Shift-click the first and last photo to select all photos within a date range. Ensure all photos are loaded by scrolling to the bottom.
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Delete Photos: Click the trash can icon and confirm by selecting “Move to trash.”
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Empty Trash (Optional): Go to the “Trash” section and click “Empty trash” to permanently delete the photos.
Understanding Google Photos Syncing
Google Photos automatically syncs photos across your devices linked to your Google account. Deleting a photo from one device with sync enabled will delete it from all synced devices and Google Photos. Disabling backup is crucial to prevent unintended deletions.
Preventing Accidental Deletions
- Avoid “Free up space”: This option in the Google Photos app deletes photos from your device that are backed up to Google Photos. If backup is disabled, using this feature will result in permanent photo loss.
- Disable Smart Storage (Pixel Phones): This feature automatically deletes backed-up photos older than 60 days. Disable it in the Files app under “Clean” then your storage details.
Conclusion
Deleting photos from Google Photos requires careful attention to backup settings to avoid unintentionally deleting photos from your devices. By following these steps and understanding how syncing works, you can safely manage your photos in Google Photos. Remember to always back up important photos to a separate location for added security.
