Google Photos & the photos on your [Android] device...?

B0bbyEwing

So I thought (and am 99% sure I've also read somewhere) that if you delete a photo from Google Photos then it'll also delete it from your device (and vice versa - assuming you have the backup turned on of course, which I do & pay for the Google One sub)

But for me at least this turns out to not be true. Say I take 3 photos - these 3 will then backup to Google Photos. Say I delete these 3 and then take 2 photos. I now have only 2 photos on my phone yet when it backs up to Google Photos I'll have 5 photos. This means that the storage available reduces fairly quickly for me. I've also tested out deleting from Google Photos & seeing if it deletes from the phone but it doesn't - even when emptying the recycle bin. 

Just wondering how to set it up so that it's like one big storage area & if an image is deleted from one location (say phone) then it updates other locations too (say Google Photos).

Neil_Jones

https://support.google.com/photos/?hl=en-GB#topic=6128848 - "Photos and videos that are less than 30 days old may be retained on your device. They'll still be backed up in your Google Photos library."

https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6128858?hl=en-GB&ref_topic=6128848&sjid=2794758893556430680-EU - "Deleting photos and videos from the Google Photos app deletes the same items from your device. If these items are backed up, the same content will be deleted on all devices with backup turned on. Learn how to remove backed up photos and videos from Google Photos but not your device."

easypeasylemon

It sounds like you’re struggling with syncing and storage management in Google Photos. This is a common issue, especially when working with a large number of photos, like in photography projects. As a professional portrait photographer, I often deal with photo storage challenges, so here's a simple solution:

By default, Google Photos backs up your images but doesn’t sync deletions between your phone and the cloud. If you want a unified storage system:

1. Enable Backup & Sync: Make sure Backup & Sync is turned on in the Google Photos app. This ensures all photos are stored safely in the cloud.
2. Use "Free up space": After backing up, use the "Free up space" feature to remove local copies from your device, keeping them accessible in the cloud.
3. Manual Deletion: Unfortunately, Google Photos doesn’t fully sync deletions. If you delete a photo from your device, you’ll also need to delete it from the cloud.

If managing photo storage feels overwhelming, hiring a professional photographer who can deliver optimized, organized files might save you time and hassle. At my studio in Cary, NC, I ensure clients receive high-quality, well-organized images ready for both personal and professional use. Check out my Raleigh headshot photographers to see how I can help streamline your image workflow!

Vitor

I don't care for the half-hearted Google Photos and instead use OneDrive to sync photos (and all other documents) from Samsung mobi to cloud so I have everything under the control of one app.