How to Delete Google Photos and Keep Them on Your iPhone

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An easy-to-follow guide to deleting Google Photos without deleting them on your phone

Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: November 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Disabling Back Up & Sync

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Blocking Access to Your Photos on iPhone

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Blocking Access To Your Photos on Android

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Video

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Tips

Do you want to delete Google Photos without deleting them on your mobile phone? Google Photos and Google Drive is a great place to store photos and videos as well as other documents. You can even back up your devices to Google Drive and Google Photos automatically. Unfortunately, when you sync your photos with the Google Photos app, deleting Google Photos will also delete them on your phone. This makes it hard to free up space on your Google Drive without getting rid of your pictures on other devices. Fortunately, it's easy to disable Back Up & Sync . This wikiHow article teaches you to delete Google Photos without deleting them on your phone.

Things You Should Know

Disable Back Up & Sync to delete Google Photos without deleting them on your phone.
You can also block Google Photos from accessing your photos in the Settings menu on Android and iPhone.
Once you disable Back Up & Sync, you can delete photos in a web browser without affecting your mobile devices.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Disabling Back Up & Sync

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1
Open the Google Photos app. It has an icon that resembles a red, green, yellow, and blue pinwheel. Tap the Google Photos app on your Home screen or Apps menu.
- The Google Photos app may be in a folder containing other Google apps.
2
Tap your profile picture. It's in the upper-right corner. This displays the menu.
- If you have not set a profile picture for your Google account, you will see a colored icon with your initial in the middle instead.
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It's near the bottom of the menu. It's next to an icon that resembles a gear.
It's the first option at the top of the Settings menu.
It's the first option at the top of the Backup menu. This disables Backup & Sync on your device.
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Go to https://photos.google.com/ in a web browser on your computer. Once you turn off Back Up & Sync in the Google Photos app, you can delete photos using a web browser on your computer without deleting them on your mobile phone.
- If you are not automatically logged into your Google account, go ahead and log in using the username and password associated with your Google account.
- Deleting Google Photos using the Google Photos app will delete them on your mobile phone, even if you have Back Up & Sync turned off. You have to use a web browser on another device.
To do so, click the circle icon in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail image. This will display a blue checkmark within the circle. Check all photos you want to delete.
It's in the upper-right corner of the web page. This displays a confirmation pop-up.
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Click Move to Trash . It's the blue button in the confirmation pop-up. This moves your Google Photos to the Trash. They will be permanently deleted after 30 days.
- If you turn Back Up & Sync back on, your photos on your phone will automatically be uploaded to Google Photos again. ^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Blocking Access to Your Photos on iPhone

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1
Open the Settings menu

. The Settings menu has an icon that resembles two silver gears. Tap the Settings icon on your Home screen. You can block Google Photos from accessing your photos in the Settings menu.
- You will not be able to access Google Photos on your iPhone if it does not have full access to your photos. You will be asked to grant full access to your photos when you open the Google Photos app.
- Looking for tips on how to recover photos you accidentally deleted while using Google Photos? Check out wikiHow’s “How can I recover photos I accidentally deleted (iPhone)?” forum .
It's in the list of apps near the bottom of the Settings menu. It's next to an icon that resembles a blue, green, yellow, and red pinwheel.
It's next to an icon that resembles a colorful flower. This menu allows you to set permissions for Google Photos to access your photos.
It's at the bottom of the menu. This blocks Google Photos from accessing your photos.
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Go to https://photos.google.com/ in a web browser on your computer. Once you block Google Photos access to your photos on your iPhone, you cannot access your Google Photos using the app. You will need to log in using a web browser on your PC.
- If you are not automatically logged into your Google account, go ahead and log in using the username and password associated with your Google account.
To do so, click the circle icon in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail image. This will display a blue checkmark within the circle. Check all photos you want to delete.
It's in the upper-right corner of the web page. This displays a confirmation pop-up.
It's the blue button in the confirmation pop-up. This moves your Google Photos to the Trash. They will be permanently deleted after 30 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Blocking Access To Your Photos on Android

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1
Open the Settings menu

. To do so, swipe down from the top of the screen to access the Quick Access menu. Then tap the icon that resembles a gear in the upper-right corner. You can block Google Photos from accessing your photos in the Settings menu.
- You will not be able to access your Google Photos on the app if you block it from accessing your photos in the Settings menu.
2
Tap Apps or Applications . The Settings menu is different depending on what model of phone you are using. Tap Apps or Applications .
- If you are having trouble finding a certain area of the Settings menu, tap the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner and use the search bar to search for the menus that you need.
It will be listed as "Google Photos" or maybe just "Photos." In either case, it will be next to an icon that resembles a blue, green, yellow, and red pinwheel.
This menu allows you to set permissions for the Google Photos app.
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Tap Photos and Videos . It should be listed below the header that says "Allowed."
- If this option is listed below "Not allowed," you have already blocked access to your photos and videos.
This blocks the Google Photos app from accessing your photos and videos on your Android device.
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Go to https://photos.google.com/ in a web browser on your computer. Once you block Google Photos access to your photos, you cannot access your Google Photos using the app. You will need to log in using a web browser on your PC.
- If you are not automatically logged into your Google account, go ahead and log in using the username and password associated with your Google account.
To do so, click the circle icon in the upper-left corner of the thumbnail image. This will display a blue checkmark within the circle. Check all photos you want to delete.
It's in the upper-right corner of the web page. This displays a confirmation pop-up.
It's the blue button in the confirmation pop-up. This moves your Google Photos to the Trash. They will be permanently deleted after 30 days.