Deleting photos

[poir420]

I use Photos instead of the Gallery on my phone, just like the way it looks better. Anyway I used to be able to go and delete photos on my SD card right from there. But now I get the message below

Can't delete item

Photos does't have access to delete item on your SD card. Go to the Gallery app to continue deleting.

(And it is spelled does't in the error too lol)

So I can go to the gallery to delete stuff but just wondering if there is still a way I can delete from photos?

Thanks
Jason

 

[SpookDroid]

Apparently this happens too on the LG G4, so it might be a system thing. If the Photos app isn't considered a 'system' app by the OS, because of the way SD Cards work on Lollipop, it wouldn't have full SD Card read/write permissions; only system apps do, which is the case of the stock Gallery.

 

[poir420]

The photos app was loaded on my phone when I got it. I thought it used to let me delete right from the SD card before but maybe I'm wrong. Guess I will have to switch over to Gallery though.

 

[SpookDroid]

Maybe just for SD Cards, yes. And even though some apps are pre-loaded, it doesn't mean the app is considered a system app (for instance, MS Office or Facebook apps aren't system apps, even if they're bundled).

Also, not sure if the Photos app itself got replaced by a new one a few months ago.

 

[poir420]

Thanks for the responses, I'm thinking maybe it hasn't let me delete them since I only switched over to the SD card in the last month. So maybe I was just thinking I could delete them from photos and it was really just when they were saving on my phone that I could do it.

 

[tsdesings]

yaa that is it

 

[azjaffo]

I just started having that same problem on my Galaxy S4 just a couple of days ago. Same error. I rebooted my phone and was once again able to delete photos. However, it started giving me this error AGAIN today.

 

[SpookDroid]

I just started having that same problem on my Galaxy S4 just a couple of days ago. Same error. I rebooted my phone and was once again able to delete photos. However, it started giving me this error AGAIN today.

So, you were able to delete pictures from the SD card from the Photos App (not the Gallery), then you couldn't, then you reboot and you could do it again?

If you're talking about the gallery giving you errors, and a reboot fixes them, it might be the SD card failing (which is why I stopped using SD Cards a long time ago).

 

[shakyharrison]

I have the same problem on my new phone that i bought a few days ago, but not in my old phone i can still delete from Photos no matter where they are saved. But with the new phone It allows you to only delete from Photos, if you save them in your device. Not the SD. Soooooo, i also thought it was the sd at first, being new and all as well...so i tried with 2 others (including the one i am able to with the old phone) but also have that problem. So is NOT an SD problem....Theres no actual option or settings to change this i guess, i dont know.....It is very annoying though having to delete things twice....or having to change the storage to "device" when i dont really want to do that.
Ah! And i fogot to say, it DOES allow you to delete your photos of the SD card if you go to Photos from the desktop/computer. Weird that it allows to access and delete photos in your SD card from ANOTHER device but not the actual device where the SD card is....

 

[SpookDroid]

Which system are both phones running? The SD card restriction came with Kit Kat and Lollipop, so if the old phone has anything older than that, Photos will still have full SD card access. On KK and LP, only system apps (Gallery, stock File Explorer, stock Camera) have full SD card access and 3rd party apps (3rd party Cameras, Photos, 3rd Party Media managers and file managers) can only modify contents in the SD card if they're in a folder they created. Since your pictures are saved by the Camera, Photos doesn't have full access to those since it didn't create them in the SD card.

 

[erichseebauer]

My phone doesn't have the Gallery app. Google Photos can't delete any photos I take. How on Earth do I delete photos?

 

[SpookDroid]

My phone doesn't have the Gallery app. Google Photos can't delete any photos I take. How on Earth do I delete photos?

What phone do you have? Is it rooted? ALL phones (unless tinkered with) have the Gallery app (or some replacement from the Manufacturer). Maybe it's there under a different name? Or hidden if your launcher allows it?

 

[BRWombat]

SOLVED - I think. Requires root. I used Titanium Backup to convert Photos to a system app -- no more error message!

To convert, go to the Backup/Restore list of apps in Titanium, select Photos, swipe right to the "Special Features" menu, and select "Convert to system app."

 

[BRWombat]

SOLVED - I think. Requires root. I used Titanium Backup to convert Photos to a system app -- no more error message!

To convert, go to the Backup/Restore list of apps in Titanium, select Photos, swipe right to the "Special Features" menu, and select "Convert to system app."

Never mind -- after my first reboot, the problem returned. Back to the drawing board.

 

[SpookDroid]

Not sure how that feature works on Titanium, but maybe those special app features clear after rebooting the device. But if you're rooting, you might as well apply the SD card patch/hack. Not sure where to find it, but it shouldn't take more than a couple Google searches. IIRC there are two hacks out there: One brings full SD card control to 3rd party apps, and the other basically tricks your phone into thinking the SD Card is part of the internal memory; not only does this allow 3rd party apps to have access to it, but it also lets you install FULL apps into the SD card.