In this digital age, capturing precious moments and memories with our cell phones has become second nature. With the convenience of cloud storage, platforms like Google Photos make it easy to upload and organize our photos online. However, there may come a time when you want to delete photos from Google Photos but keep them on your phone. Whether it’s to save storage space or maintain a sense of privacy, knowing how to accomplish this can be invaluable. In this article, we’ll explore the step-by-step process of removing photos from Google Photos while ensuring they remain safely stored on your mobile device. So, if you’re ready to declutter your online photo library without losing cherished memories, let’s get started!
Inside This Article
- Method 1: Delete photos from Google Photos app
- Method 2: Disable Google Photos sync
- Method 3: Delete photos from Google Photos website
- Method 4: Remove Google account from phone
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Method 1: Delete photos from Google Photos app
If you want to delete photos from your Google account but not from your phone, Google Photos app provides a convenient way to do so. Follow these steps to remove unwanted photos from your Google Photos library:
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
- Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left corner of the screen.
- Select “Photos” from the menu options.
- Scroll through your photos and tap on the thumbnail of the photo you want to delete. This will open the photo in full screen.
- Tap on the trash can icon at the top right corner of the screen to delete the photo.
- You will see a confirmation message asking if you want to move the photo to the trash. Tap “Move to trash” to confirm.
- The photo will be deleted from your Google Photos library, but it will still be available in the “Trash” folder for 60 days in case you want to recover it.
By following these steps, you can easily delete unwanted photos from your Google Photos app without affecting the photos stored on your phone.
Method 2: Disable Google Photos sync
If you want to delete photos from Google but not from your phone, you can disable the sync feature in Google Photos. By doing so, any changes made to your phone’s gallery will not be reflected in your Google Photos account.
Here are the steps to disable Google Photos sync:
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
- Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top right corner of the screen.
- From the dropdown menu, select “Photos settings.”
- Scroll down and find the “Back up & sync” option.
- Toggle off the “Back up & sync” switch.
Once you have disabled the sync feature, any new photos or changes to your phone’s gallery will not be uploaded to your Google Photos account. This means that you can now delete photos from Google without affecting the photos stored on your phone.
Keep in mind that disabling sync means you won’t have a backup of your photos on Google Photos. If you want to create a backup, it’s recommended to manually transfer your photos to a computer or an external storage device.
Method 3: Delete photos from Google Photos website
Deleting photos from your Google Photos website is another convenient way to remove them from your synced Google account. Follow these steps to delete photos directly from the Google Photos website:
- Open your preferred web browser and go to the Google Photos website (https://photos.google.com)
- Sign in to your Google account if you’re not already logged in
- Navigate to the “Photos” tab or select the specific album containing the photos you want to delete
- Select the photos you wish to remove by clicking on them. You can select multiple photos at once by holding down the CTRL key (or Command key on a Mac) while clicking on the photos
- Once the photos are selected, click on the “Trash” icon or press the DELETE key on your keyboard. A dialog box will appear asking for confirmation
- Review the photos you selected for deletion and click on “Move to Trash” to permanently delete them from your Google account
Deleted photos are moved to the “Trash” folder in Google Photos and will be permanently deleted after 60 days. If you change your mind and want to restore a deleted photo, you can still do so within this 60-day period.
Remember, deleting photos from the Google Photos website will only remove them from your Google account and the Google Photos app. The photos will still be stored on your phone unless you manually delete them there as well.
Method 4: Remove Google account from phone
Removing your Google account from your phone is another way to delete photos from Google but not from your phone. Keep in mind that this method will also remove other synced data, such as contacts, emails, and app data associated with your Google account.
To remove your Google account, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your phone.
- Scroll down and tap on “Accounts” or “Accounts and Sync”.
- Select your Google account from the list.
- Tap on the menu icon (usually represented by three dots or lines) in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Choose “Remove account” or “Remove from device”.
- Confirm the action when prompted.
- Your Google account will be removed from your phone, along with any synced data.
Once you remove your Google account, your phone will no longer have access to Google services, including Google Photos. However, it’s important to note that this method will not delete the photos from your phone itself. They will remain in your phone’s gallery or photo app.
If you want to delete the photos from your phone as well, you can manually delete them from your gallery or photo app. Each phone may have a slightly different process, but generally, you can long-press on a photo to select it and choose the delete option. Alternatively, you can select multiple photos and delete them in bulk.
This method is useful if you want to remove your Google account from your phone entirely but still want to keep your photos on your device.
Keep in mind that if you decide to re-add your Google account to your phone in the future, the photos in your Google Photos account will be synced back to your device unless you disable the sync feature.
Please note that removing your Google account from your phone will also disable any tracking or sync features associated with your account, such as Find My Device or automatic app updates.
It’s important to consider the implications of removing your Google account from your phone and to make sure you have a backup of any important data before proceeding.
Conclusion
Deleting photos from Google while keeping them on your phone can be a useful practice if you want to free up space in your Google account without losing cherished memories. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily remove the photos from Google while ensuring they still remain safely stored on your mobile device.
Remember to regularly review and manage your Google Photos library to keep it organized and optimize your storage space. Whether you’re deleting individual photos, removing them from the “Trash” folder, or using the “Free Up Space” feature, maintaining a clutter-free Google Photos account will help you better manage your photo collection.
Now that you have a clear understanding of how to delete photos from Google but not your phone, take control of your photo storage and declutter your digital life. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your memories are safely stored on your mobile device, while still clearing up space in your Google account.
FAQs
1. Can I delete photos from Google but not from my phone?
Yes, you can delete photos from your Google account without removing them from your phone. By deleting photos from Google Photos, you are only removing them from the cloud storage, not from your physical device.
2. How can I delete photos from my Google account?
To delete photos from your Google account, follow these steps:
a. Open the Google Photos app or go to photos.google.com.
b. Select the photos you want to delete.
c. Tap on the three-dot menu icon or click on the trash bin icon.
d. Confirm the deletion by clicking “Delete” or tapping “Remove from account”.
3. Will deleting photos from Google affect my phone storage?
No, deleting photos from Google Photos will not affect the storage on your phone. It will only remove the photos from your Google account’s cloud storage, not from your device’s local storage.
4. How can I ensure that photos are backed up before deleting them from Google?
Before deleting photos from Google Photos, make sure your device is set to sync automatically with the cloud storage. This way, any changes you make on your device will be reflected in the Google Photos app. To enable automatic backup, go to the Google Photos settings and ensure that the Backup & Sync option is turned on.
5. Can I recover deleted photos from Google?
Yes, Google Photos keeps deleted photos in a trash folder for 60 days before permanently deleting them. If you accidentally delete a photo, you can easily recover it within this 60-day window. To recover a deleted photo, open the Google Photos app, tap on the three-line menu icon, and select “Trash”. From there, you can select the photo you want to recover and restore it to your Google Photos library.
