Unsyncing Google Photos means turning off backup so new photos stay only on your phone. Photos already backed up stay in your Google account. Be careful afterwards: deleting a photo in the Google Photos app can still delete it from your phone and from the cloud.
Quick Answer
In the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture, then Photos settings, Backup, and turn Backup off.
How to Unsync Google Photos
- Open the Google Photos app.
- Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
- Tap Photos settings (or Google Photos settings), then Backup.
- Turn Backup off.
- To stop only some folders on Android, open Back up device folders and turn off the ones you do not want.
- To remove the account from the app entirely, tap your profile picture and choose Use without an account (Android) or remove the account.
What Happens After Unsyncing
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Photos already backed up | Stay in your Google account |
| New photos | Stay on the phone only |
| Deleting in the Google Photos app | Can remove from phone and cloud; check the prompt |
| Deleting in the phone gallery | Removes only the phone copy |
| Storage used | Unchanged until you delete cloud copies |
Check That Backup Is Really Off
Tap your profile picture at the top of the Google Photos app. Google’s help page says the status reads “Backup is off” once backup is disabled, and “Backup complete” when it’s still on and up to date. If you still see items uploading, open Photos settings > Backup again and make sure the switch stayed off.
Stop Syncing Only Some Folders (Android)
On Android, Google Photos can also back up folders other than your camera, such as Screenshots, WhatsApp or Downloads. To keep camera backup on but stop the rest:
- Tap your profile picture, then Photos settings > Backup.
- Tap Back up device folders.
- Turn off the folders you don’t want uploaded. Turn off Back up all device folders too if you don’t want new folders added automatically.
Delete Safely After Unsyncing
Unsyncing doesn’t separate the two copies of photos that were already backed up. In the Google Photos app, the regular Delete option can still remove a backed-up photo from both your phone and your Google account. Use these options instead:
| You want to | Use |
|---|---|
| Remove a photo from the phone but keep it in the cloud | Select it, tap More (three dots), then Delete from device |
| Remove a photo from the cloud but keep it on the phone | Delete it at photos.google.com, or see how to delete photos from Google Photos without losing them on your phone |
| Delete from the phone only, without Google Photos | Use your phone’s own Gallery or Files app |
Unsync on iPhone and iPad
Turn off backup in the Google Photos app the same way. For extra certainty, you can stop the app reading your library at all: open the iPhone’s Settings > Apps > Google Photos > Photos (on older iOS versions, Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos > Google Photos) and choose None or Limited Access. Your iCloud Photos settings are separate and aren’t affected.
Unsync a Computer
If photos from your PC or Mac are going to Google Photos, the upload comes from Google Drive for desktop. Open its Settings, select the folder being backed up, and turn off Back up to Google Photos, or stop syncing that folder. For more control over what’s saved, see how to back up Google Photos, and for a closer look at sync settings, how to stop Google Photos from syncing.
Troubleshooting
- Photos still uploading: another device signed in to the same account may still be backing up.
- Want phone space back: use Free up space only while backup is on; it removes device copies that are already safe in the cloud.
- Duplicates after re-enabling: Google Photos skips most exact duplicates.
- Related: editing photos in Google Photos and finding duplicate photos on a PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will unsyncing delete my photos?
No. It only stops new uploads.
How do I delete photos from the cloud only?
Open photos.google.com in a browser and delete them there, knowing it may affect synced devices.
Can I turn backup on again?
Yes, at any time.
Does it work the same on iPhone?
Yes. The Backup switch is in the same place.
Summary
- Open Google Photos.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Open Photos settings.
- Turn off Backup.
- Delete carefully afterwards.
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.