Cleaning up Google Photos is easier than you think! It’s all about knowing where to click and what to select. In less than a minute, you can start the process of tidying up your photo storage. If your Google Photos is a mess of duplicates, blurry pictures, and screenshots you never meant to keep, keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to clean up your Google Photos and make it look neat again.
Step by Step Tutorial on How to Clean Up Google Photos
Before we dive into the steps, let’s talk about what we’re trying to accomplish. Cleaning up Google Photos means removing unwanted photos, organizing the ones you want to keep, and freeing up storage space. Ready to start? Let’s go!
Step 1: Open Google Photos
Open the Google Photos app on your device or head over to the Google Photos website.
When you open Google Photos, you’ll see all your photos and videos. If you’re using a phone or tablet, the app will likely open to the "Photos" tab automatically. If you’re on a computer, you’ll see a similar layout on the website.
Step 2: Select Photos to Delete
Click on the photos you want to delete. You can select multiple photos by clicking on each one.
As you select photos, you’ll see a checkmark appear on them. If you realize you’ve selected a photo you want to keep, just click on it again to deselect it.
Step 3: Delete Selected Photos
Click on the trash can icon to delete the selected photos.
You’ll see a prompt asking if you’re sure you want to move the photos to the trash. Confirm the action, and the photos will be moved to the trash. They’ll stay there for 60 days before being permanently deleted, giving you a chance to recover them if you change your mind.
Step 4: Empty the Trash
To permanently delete the photos, go to the "Trash" and click on "Empty Trash."
Remember, once you empty the trash, there’s no going back. Those photos are gone for good. So make sure you really don’t want them before you take this step.
Step 5: Organize Remaining Photos
Use albums, archives, and favorites to organize the photos you decided to keep.
Creating albums is a great way to group related photos together. Archiving helps you remove photos from the main view without deleting them, and marking photos as favorites makes them easy to find later.
After you’ve completed these steps, you’ll have a much cleaner Google Photos gallery. You’ll be able to find the photos you want more easily, and you won’t have to scroll past a bunch of unwanted ones.
Tips for Cleaning Up Google Photos
- Review your screenshots and downloads folders, as these often contain images you don’t need to keep.
- Use the search function to find and delete duplicates.
- Take advantage of Google Photos’ "Free up space" feature to quickly remove photos that are already backed up.
- Remember to check the "Shared" section for photos others have shared with you that you may want to remove.
- Use the "Archive" feature for photos you want to keep but don’t need in your main photo feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find duplicates in Google Photos?
Google Photos doesn’t have a built-in tool for finding duplicates, but you can use the search bar to look for similar images and manually delete the copies you don’t need.
Can I recover photos after emptying the trash?
No, once you empty the trash, those photos are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
How can I free up space without deleting photos?
You can change the quality setting of your photos to "High quality" instead of "Original." This compresses the photos, taking up less space, and Google offers unlimited storage for high-quality photos.
Will deleting photos from Google Photos delete them from my phone?
Deleting photos from Google Photos will not automatically delete them from your phone’s gallery. However, if you have the "Free up device storage" option enabled, Google Photos can remove the local copies from your device after they’re backed up.
Can I organize my Google Photos into albums?
Yes, you can create albums and add photos to them to keep your Google Photos organized. You can also use the archive feature to hide photos from the main view without deleting them.
Summary
- Open Google Photos.
- Select photos to delete.
- Delete selected photos.
- Empty the trash.
- Organize remaining photos.
Conclusion
Cleaning up your Google Photos isn’t just about decluttering; it’s about taking control of your digital memories. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily remove the photos that no longer serve you and organize the ones that do. Remember that a little maintenance goes a long way. The more regularly you clean up your photos, the less overwhelming it will be each time.
Don’t let the fear of losing memories stop you from cleaning up. The photos that truly matter will be the ones you keep, and with a cleaner Google Photos, you’ll be able to enjoy them even more. So, take a few minutes today to start cleaning up your Google Photos and reclaim your digital space.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.