Deleting backed-up photos from Google Photos removes them from both the app and Google's servers
When you delete a photo in Google Photos, it goes to a trash folder for 60 days before Google permanently removes it. During those 60 days, you can restore it. After 60 days, the photo is gone and the storage space it used is freed up. The key difference: deleting from Google Photos is not the same as deleting from your phone's camera roll — you control each separately.
Most people back up photos to Google Photos without realizing they now have two copies: one on their device and one on Google's servers. Deleting one does not automatically delete the other. If you want to free up storage in your Google account, you need to delete from Google Photos specifically. If you want to free up space on your phone, you delete from your device's photo app.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a photo in Google Photos sends it to trash for 60 days; after that, it is permanently gone and storage is freed.
- Deleting from Google Photos does not delete the photo from your phone, and deleting from your phone does not delete it from Google Photos.
- You can delete individual photos, entire albums, or use the "Storage" tool to find and remove duplicates and blurry images automatically.
- If you turn off backup for a folder or device, photos already uploaded stay in Google Photos unless you delete them manually.
How to delete individual photos from Google Photos
Open the Google Photos app on your phone or go to photos.google.com on a computer. Find the photo you want to delete and tap or click it to open it. Look for the trash icon — on a phone it is usually at the bottom of the screen, on a computer it is in the top menu. Tap or click the trash icon. The photo moves to trash when ready.
If you are deleting many photos at once, you can select multiple ones. In the app, tap and hold the first photo, then tap other photos to add them to your selection. On a computer, click the first photo, hold Shift, and click the last photo to select a range, or hold Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and click individual photos. Once you have selected the photos you want, tap or click the trash icon.
Emptying the trash to permanently delete photos
Photos in trash stay there for 60 days. During this time, they still count toward your storage limit. To permanently delete them and free up space right away, you need to empty the trash. In the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap "Photos settings." Scroll down and tap "Trash." You will see all photos currently in trash. Tap "Empty trash" at the top, then confirm.
On a computer, go to photos.google.com, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the left, and click "Trash." You will see all deleted photos. Click "Empty trash" at the top right, then confirm. Once you empty trash, those photos cannot be recovered.
Deleting entire albums and shared collections
If you have created albums in Google Photos and want to remove them, open the album and tap the three-dot menu icon. Select "Delete album." This removes the album but not the original photos — they stay in your library. If you want to delete both the album and the photos inside it, you need to delete the photos separately.
Shared albums work differently. If you created a shared album, you can delete it by opening it, tapping the three-dot menu, and selecting "Delete album." Everyone with access to that album will no longer see it. If someone else created the album and shared it with you, you can only remove yourself from it — you cannot delete the album itself.
Using the Storage tool to find photos to delete
Google Photos has a built-in tool that finds duplicates, blurry photos, and screenshots — things many people want to delete. In the app, tap your profile picture, then "Photos settings," then "Storage." You will see categories like "Duplicates," "Blurry," and "Screenshots." Tap any category to see photos Google thinks you might want to remove. Select the ones you want to delete and tap the trash icon.
This tool is useful if you have thousands of photos and do not want to go through them one by one. However, Google's detection is not perfect — it might flag a photo as blurry when you actually want to keep it, or miss a duplicate. Always review what you are about to delete before confirming.
What happens when you turn off backup for a folder or device
If you stop backing up photos from your phone or a specific folder, new photos will not upload to Google Photos. However, photos that are already backed up stay in Google Photos unless you delete them manually. Turning off backup does not automatically delete anything.
To turn off backup on an Android phone, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then "Photos settings," then "Backup and sync." Toggle it off. On an iPhone, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then "Photos settings," then "Backup and sync," then "Backup and sync" again, and toggle it off. If you want to remove photos that were already backed up, you must delete them from Google Photos as described above.
Freeing up storage without deleting photos
If you do not want to delete photos but need to free up storage, you have other options. Google Photos offers different storage plans: 15 GB free, 100 GB for $1.99 per month, 200 GB for $2.99 per month, and 2 TB for $9.99 per month. You can also change your backup quality. In "Photos settings," tap "Backup and sync," then "Backup quality." Choosing "Storage saver" compresses photos to save space, though they will look slightly less sharp on large screens.
Another option is to delete photos from your phone but keep them in Google Photos. This frees up space on your device while preserving the originals in the cloud. You can always read them again later if you need them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a photo after I empty the trash?
No. Once you empty trash, photos are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. If you delete a photo but do not empty trash, you have 60 days to restore it by opening trash, selecting the photo, and tapping the restore icon.
Does deleting a photo from Google Photos delete it from my phone?
No. Deleting from Google Photos only removes it from Google's servers. The photo stays on your phone unless you delete it from your phone's camera app or photo gallery. You must delete it in both places if you want it gone everywhere.
What is the difference between "Storage saver" and "Original quality" backup?
"Original quality" uploads photos at full resolution and counts toward your storage limit. "Storage saver" compresses photos to save space and offers unlimited storage, but they may look slightly less sharp when viewed on large screens or printed. Most people do not notice the difference on phones.
If I delete an album, do the photos inside it get deleted too?
No. Deleting an album only removes the album itself. The photos stay in your main library. If you want to delete the photos as well, you must delete them separately from your library.
Why do my photos still take up storage after I deleted them?
They are probably in trash. Deleted photos stay in trash for 60 days and still count toward your storage limit during that time. Open trash and tap "Empty trash" to permanently remove them and free up space when ready.