Deleting a backed-up photo in the Google Photos app removes it everywhere, including from your phone’s gallery. Google’s own help says so. To remove photos from your Google Photos account but keep the copies on your phone, turn off backup first, then delete the cloud copies from the website. The opposite, freeing phone space while keeping the backup, is the built-in Delete from device option.
Quick Answer
In the Google Photos app, turn off Backup. Then on a computer, open photos.google.com, select the photos and delete them. Keep backup off, or the phone copies will upload again.
How to Delete Photos from Google Photos but Keep Them on Your Phone
- Open the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture, then Photos settings, then Backup.
- Turn Backup off.
- On a computer, go to photos.google.com and sign in.
- Select the photos to remove and click Delete, then Move to trash.
- Leave backup off. If you turn it back on, photos still on the phone will upload again.
- To free the trash, open Trash on the website and empty it, or wait for it to clear after the retention period.
Delete Options Compared
| Option | Result |
|---|---|
| Delete in the app | Removes from Google Photos and the phone |
| Delete from device | Removes from the phone, keeps the backup |
| Delete on the website with backup off | Removes the cloud copy; phone copy stays |
| Archive | Hides from the main view, keeps everything |
| Locked Folder | Moves photos to a passcode-protected space |
Troubleshooting
- Photos vanished from the phone anyway: check the app’s Trash and restore them within the retention period.
- Some photos were only in the cloud: download them first if you want to keep them.
- Want to save space instead? Read how to compress Google Photos and how to manage Google storage.
- Shared albums: deleting your copy does not remove photos others added.
Related: find large files and sort Google Photos by size.
Related: Unsync Google Photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does deleting in the app remove photos from my phone?
The app syncs deletions both ways for backed-up items.
Can I keep backup on and still do this?
Not reliably. Photos still on the phone will re-upload.
What about iPhone?
The same steps apply in the Google Photos app for iPhone.
How long does the trash keep items?
Google Photos keeps trash for a limited period, then deletes it permanently.
Summary
- Turn off Backup in the app.
- Delete on photos.google.com.
- Leave backup off.
- Empty trash if needed.
- Use Delete from device for the reverse.
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.