How to Delete All Google Photos? [2024 Guide]

Google Photos can be a great platform for collecting your fond memories, but storage can be an issue since you only get 15 GB for free. So, if you want to free up Google Storage space in your Drive, you can move all photos to another storage platform and delete all Google Photos.

However, deleting tons of photos in one sitting can be time-consuming. So, we’ve mentioned ways to do so in an easy and convenient method in this article.

How to Delete All Google Photos?

It would take a long time to select and delete all Google Photos individually individually. So follow the method mentioned below to delete them quickly.

Step 1: Move to Trash

Initially, you need to move your images to trash. Then, you can permanently remove all your Google Photos by clearing the trash folder.

On Desktop

1. Open Google Photos on your browser.
2. Hover your cursor over the first photo and click on the tick mark.
3. Scroll down to the last picture. Or press the End button.
4. Hold Shift and click on the last image.
5. On the top right corner of the page, click on the trash can icon.
6. Tap on Move to trash.

If you have several pictures, you can scroll through the webpage to check if they’re selected before you delete them. You may click on Ctrl and – to zoom out, as it makes it easy for you to view hundreds of images.

Note: In some cases, holding Shift and clicking on the last image does not select all the images. Such a situation occurs if the images do not load properly or if you click at a random part of the screen. So, repeat the process, try not to click on other random pictures, and wait for the pictures to load.

On iOS

1. Open the Google Photos app on your device.
2. Tap and hold the first photo on the app.
3. Slide your finger downwards and keep it still on the screen once automatic marking starts.
4. Repeat the previous two steps if you accidentally remove your finger from the screen.
5. Tap on Delete once you mark all the images.
6. Tap on Move to trash on the popup menu.
7. Tap on Delete on the confirmation menu.

Note: The popup menu on the sixth step only appears when you delete your Google Photos for the first time. Google Storage and iCloud are not similar when it comes to deleting photos.

On Android

1. Open the Google Photos app on your device.
2. Tap and hold the first photo.
3. Without removing the finger, slide down and mark all the pictures.
4. Tap on Delete at the bottom of the screen once you mark all the images.
5. Tap on Allow in the confirmation menu.

Note: If you’re deleting Google Photos for the first time, you’ll get a confirmation menu to send the photos to Bin after step 4. So, tap OK and proceed.

If you want to keep some pictures, you can deselect them after you’ve selected the whole gallery. Tap on images you want to deselect on your phone or click on the tick mark on the desktop. Then, proceed with the steps as normal.

Likewise, when you delete all Google Photos on an iOS device, they’re permanently deleted. However, the deletion process for Android and Desktops does not totally erase the pictures. Such images move to the trash. 

Step 2: Removing the Photos from Trash

The Google Photos you delete from an Android device that isn’t backed up remain in the Trash for sixty days. After the respective time period, they’re permanently deleted from Google Photos.

Nevertheless, you can immediately remove them by emptying the trash. Follow the method mentioned below to do so.

On PC

1. Open Google Photos on your browser.
2. On the left side of the page, click on trash.
3. Click on the Empty trash button at the top right corner of the screen.
4. Again, click on Empty trash on the confirmation menu.

On Mobile 

1. Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
2. Tap on Library at the bottom right corner of the screen.
3. Tap on Trash for iOS and on Bin for Android.
4. Click on the three dots on the top right corner of the screen.
5. Tap on Empty Trash.
6. Choose Allow on the confirmation menu. Tap Delete on iOS devices.

Note: If you accidentally select some photos and move them to the trash, you can restore them. After steps 2 for PCs and 3 for phones, select the images, click on the Restore button, and confirm.

Does Deleting Google Photos Delete Them From My Gallery?

Deleting pictures from Google Photos will delete those images from the Google Cloud as well as your gallery. You’ll lose those images regardless of whether you have the Sync on or off. 

For backup purposes, before you delete all Google Photos, transfer all the photos from your Gallery to another phone or a computer. Then, delete those pictures using the method mentioned above. 

Finally, transfer those images back to your phone with the Sync off. If you keep the sync on, the images will be automatically uploaded to Google Photos. That’s how it is with Google files you own.