You can delete photos from Google Photos on all supported devices. This includes your computer, your Android phone, and even your iPhone or iPad.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to permanently delete photos from Google Photos on the aforementioned devices.
Things to Know Before Deleting Pictures From Google Photos
There are some things you should know before you start the photo deletion process.
First, any photo that you delete from Google Photos is removed from all your devices. This means, if you delete a picture on Photos’ web version, that photo is removed from your iOS and Android device, too.
Second, when you delete a photo, it will initially go into the trash. It stays there for 60 days after which Google deletes it permanently. We’ll show you how to clear the trash so that your photos are immediately deleted from your account.
How to Delete Photos From Google Photos on the Web
If you use a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer, you can use Google Photos’ web version to remove your photos.
Here’s how to do that:
Open the Google Photos site in your preferred web browser. Log in to your account if you haven’t already done so. When your photos appear, hover over the photo you want to delete. Then, click the checkmark icon at the top-left corner of your photo. Select all the photos you want to delete using the above step. To delete all of the selected photos, click the checkmark icon on the first photo, hold down Shift, and click the last photo. This selects all your photos in Google Photos. When all your photos are selected, click the delete icon at the top-right corner. Click Move to Trash in the prompt to delete your photos. To remove your photos permanently, click Trash on the left sidebar and then select Empty trash on the following screen.
Google Photos lets you delete photo albums as well. Keep in mind that deleting an album doesn’t delete the photos or videos in it.
To remove an album:
Access the Google Photos site and click Albums on the left. Select the album you want to delete by clicking on the album. Click the three-dots menu at the top, and select Delete album.
How to Delete Photos From Google Photos on Android
If you use Google Photos on your Android device, you can use the app’s built-in option to permanently remove photos. This way, you don’t need to access Photos’ web version to get rid of your photos and videos.
Here’s how to do that:
Open the Google Photos app on your Android phone. Tap Photos at the bottom of the app to view your photos. Tap and hold the photo that you want to delete. You can select multiple photos by tapping and holding the first photo, and then single tapping other photos. After selecting the photos you want to remove, hit the Delete icon at the top right corner of the screen. Tap Allow in the prompt to move your photos to the trash. 2 Images Close You now need to clear your trash so your photos are permanently deleted. To do this, tap Library at the bottom of the Photos app. Select Trash at the top, tap the three-dots menu at the top-right corner of the screen, and select Empty trash.
To delete a photo album using the Google Photos app:
Open the Google Photos app, and tap Library at the bottom. Tap the album you want to delete on the following screen. When the album opens, tap the three-dots menu at the top and select Delete album. 2 Images Close
Once again, keep in mind that deleting an album doesn’t delete the actual photos inside the album.
How to Delete Photos From Google Photos on iOS
If you have Google Photos on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps to start removing photos from your account:
Launch the Google Photos app on your device. Tap Photos at the bottom to view all your photos. Tap and hold the photo you want to delete. You can now single tap other photos to select them for deletion as well. Select the Delete icon at the top. Tap Move to Bin in the prompt to move your photos to the bin. Select Delete in the following prompt. 2 Images Close To empty your trash and delete your Photos permanently, tap Library at the bottom of the app and select Bin. Tap the three dots at the top-right corner of the screen, and choose Empty bin to remove all your photos from the bin.
But if you just want to delete an album, and not the photos in it, follow these steps:
Open the Google Photos app on your device and tap Library at the bottom. Tap the album you want to delete. Tap the three-dots menu at the top-right corner, and select Delete album. 2 Images Close
How to Delete Photos From Google Drive
If you uploaded your photos to Google Drive and not to Google Photos, use the following steps to delete your photos:
Open the Google Drive site in your browser. Select the folder that has your photo. Right-click your photo and select Remove. Click Trash on the left, right-click your photo, and then select Delete forever.
And if you use Google Drive on your smartphone, use these steps to remove your photos:
Open the Google Drive app on your phone. Tap the folder where your photos are located. Tap and hold your photos to select them. Select the Delete icon at the top to remove your photos. Click the Drive menu at the top-left corner, and select Trash. Find the photos you just removed, tap the three-dots menu next to them, and choose Delete forever. 2 Images Close
Delete Photos From Google Photos for Good
There are various reasons why you’d want to remove pictures from your Google Photos account. Regardless of the reason, the methods outlined above should help you remove your unwanted photos.
