Deleting photos from Google Photos is straightforward, but the method depends on whether you want them gone from Google Photos only or from your device too

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. If you delete a photo that's also stored on your phone or computer, deleting it from Google Photos does not delete it from that device — they are separate actions. Understanding this difference matters because many people think deleting from Google Photos clears their phone, and then later discover the photos are still there taking up space.

The steps change slightly depending on whether you're using the Google Photos app on your phone, the website on a computer, or whether you want to delete one photo or many at once. This guide covers all three scenarios.

Key Takeaways

  • Photos deleted in Google Photos go to Trash for 60 days and can be restored during that time; after 60 days they are permanently gone.
  • Deleting a photo from Google Photos does not automatically delete it from your phone or computer — you must delete it separately from those devices if you want it gone everywhere.
  • On your phone, open the photo, tap the trash icon, and confirm; on the website, select the photo and click the trash icon in the toolbar.
  • To delete multiple photos at once, select them by tapping or clicking each one, then tap or click the trash icon once.
  • If you delete a photo by mistake, open Trash in Google Photos and tap or click Restore before the 60-day window closes.

Deleting a single photo on your phone

Open the Google Photos app and find the photo you want to delete. Tap it to open it in full screen. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a trash icon (it looks like a bin). Tap that icon. Google Photos will ask you to confirm — tap "Delete" or "Move to Trash" depending on your phone's version of the app. The photo is now in Trash.

If you don't see the trash icon at the bottom, swipe up or down on the photo to reveal the toolbar. The trash icon should appear there. On some older versions of the Google Photos app, you may need to tap a three-dot menu icon instead and select "Delete" from the menu.

Deleting a single photo on the web

Go to photos.google.com in your browser and sign in with your Google account. Find the photo you want to delete and click it once to open it. Look at the top toolbar — you should see a trash icon (usually on the right side). Click it. Google Photos will move the photo to Trash immediately without asking for confirmation.

If you can't find the trash icon, try clicking the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of the photo and select "Delete" from the dropdown menu.

Deleting multiple photos at once

On your phone, open Google Photos and go to the Photos tab. Long-press (press and hold) the first photo you want to delete. It will be highlighted with a checkmark. Tap each additional photo you want to delete — each one will get a checkmark. Once you've selected all the photos you want gone, tap the trash icon at the bottom of the screen and confirm.

On the web, go to photos.google.com and click the first photo you want to delete. Hold Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) and click each additional photo. All selected photos will have a checkmark. Once you've selected them all, click the trash icon in the toolbar.

Understanding the difference between Google Photos and your device storage

Google Photos is a cloud storage service — it stores copies of your photos on Google's servers. Your phone or computer also stores its own copies. When you delete from Google Photos, you're only deleting from Google's servers. The photo remains on your device unless you delete it there too.

This matters for storage space. If you're trying to free up space on your phone, deleting from Google Photos alone won't help. You need to delete the photo from your phone's Photos app or Files app as well. On iPhone, open the Photos app, find the photo, and tap "Delete" or swipe left and tap the trash icon. On Android, open Google Photos, find the photo, tap the trash icon, and then also delete it from your device's file manager or gallery app.

If you backed up your photos to Google Photos and then deleted them from your device, they still exist in Google Photos. This is actually useful — it means you can delete photos from your phone to save space while keeping them safe in the cloud.

Restoring photos from Trash

Photos stay in Trash for 60 days. If you delete a photo by mistake, you can get it back during this window. On your phone, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture in the top right, and select "Trash." Find the photo you want to restore, tap it, and then tap "Restore." The photo will go back to your Google Photos library.

On the web, go to photos.google.com, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the left, and select "Trash." Click the photo you want to restore, then click "Restore" in the toolbar. After 60 days, Google permanently deletes everything in Trash and you cannot restore it.

Permanently deleting photos before the 60-day window

If you want a photo gone immediately rather than waiting 60 days, you can permanently delete it from Trash right away. On your phone, go to Trash, tap and hold the photo, and look for an option to "Delete permanently" or "Delete forever." On the web, go to Trash, click the photo, and look for a "Delete permanently" button in the toolbar.

Be careful with this option — once you permanently delete a photo, there is no way to get it back. Google does not keep a recovery option after permanent deletion.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I delete a photo from Google Photos, does it delete from my phone too?

No. Deleting from Google Photos only removes it from Google's servers. It stays on your phone unless you delete it separately from your phone's Photos app or file manager. You must delete it in both places if you want it gone everywhere.

Can I get a photo back after 60 days if I deleted it?

No. After 60 days, Google permanently deletes everything in Trash and there is no way to restore it. If you think you might want a photo later, restore it from Trash before the 60 days are up.

How do I delete all my photos from Google Photos at once?

There is no single button to delete your entire library at once. You must select photos in groups — on your phone, select up to 100 at a time; on the web, you can select more. Delete each group, then repeat. Alternatively, you can delete your entire Google account, which removes all your photos, but this also deletes your Gmail, Drive, and other Google services.

Will deleting photos from Google Photos free up space on my phone?

Only if you also delete them from your phone's Photos app or file manager. Deleting from Google Photos alone does not free up phone storage because Google Photos is cloud storage, separate from your device.

What happens to photos I've shared with others if I delete them?

If you delete a photo from Google Photos, people you shared it with can no longer see it through the shared link or shared album. However, if they downloaded the photo to their own device, they still have their copy.