How do I delete photos from Google photos but keep them on my device

[THEPRFCT10]

I know for a fact on my Galaxy S8 just prior to this phone if I deleted photos on Google photos those same photos still stayed on the device and then if I wanted to delete the device photos I could do that I don't like the fact that I have to lose the photos from the device as well just because I delete them from the cloud on Google photos -- any help or suggestions or guidance much appreciated

 

[SpookDroid]

Sorry to disappoint you, but nope. That changed a while ago on Photos (I hate it too, believe me), even for the S8. The only thing that Photos won't be able to delete are pictures stored in SD cards, BUT the only way to do what you want is move the picture from the phone to another location and then delete from Photos. Otherwise the sync gets rid of any copy in any device.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

Sorry to disappoint you, but nope. That changed a while ago on Photos (I hate it too, believe me), even for the S8. The only thing that Photos won't be able to delete are pictures stored in SD cards, BUT the only way to do what you want is move the picture from the phone to another location and then delete from Photos. Otherwise the sync gets rid of any copy in any device.

I appreciate your reply but I have to tell you I currently have my settings so that any photos taken on the phone get stored on my external SD card that I purchased but still deleting the photo on Google photos removes it from the device and its entirety even the external SD card

 

[strikeIII]

You'll have to move the photos to a folder that is not set to sync with Google Photos.

 

[strikeIII]

For me I personally use Google Photos as my main photo storage. After a month or two delete what I don't want from Google Photos and also use the clean up feature to delete photos from the device that have already been backed up. I don't like to use SD storage or keep stuff on my device in case of failure or loss. I rely on cloud storage for all my files. It makes it easier and accessible from other devices and easier to swap to new devices as well.

 

[williams448]

Delete them from a computer or another device you're logged in to Google photos.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

Delete them from a computer or another device you're logged in to Google photos.

Interesting ok cool thanks

 

[strikeIII]

Delete them from a computer or another device you're logged in to Google photos.

That still might delete it from the device. I think I remember that if I take photos on my iOS device and if I delete it from Google photos on my Android device it'll still delete from my iOS device. I could be wrong tho. I'll have to test this out again.

 

[SpookDroid]

Yup, that won't work. Deleting in any device will delete all copies, including the original, if synced. Only solution is to move to a non-synced folder. And I would suggest to keep hitting up Google with feedback and see if, at any point, they bring that option back as it was a couple years ago. Another popular feature that was 'removed' and some of us want back is the ability to decide when to sync (you used to be able to sync while charging AND/OR on WiFi... now no options but mobile VS WiFi).

 

[THEPRFCT10]

Yup, that won't work. Deleting in any device will delete all copies, including the original, if synced. Only solution is to move to a non-synced folder. And I would suggest to keep hitting up Google with feedback and see if, at any point, they bring that option back as it was a couple years ago. Another popular feature that was 'removed' and some of us want back is the ability to decide when to sync (you used to be able to sync while charging AND/OR on WiFi... now no options but mobile VS WiFi).

Good points thank you. Totally agree with you. This is very frustrating. There are times where I have pictures that would rather not be stored on the cloud for Google to have yet still want them on my device.

 

[SpookDroid]

Good points thank you. Totally agree with you. This is very frustrating. There are times where I have pictures that would rather not be stored on the cloud for Google to have yet still want them on my device.

I know! For me it's screenshots. I want screenshots on my phone, not synced to Photos! BUT Samsung decided to include Screenshots into the Camera folder, so they get synced. Great. That wasn't an issue a couple years back when you had the option, but now I have to move the ones I need to keep and just regularly check Photos to delete unwanted screenshots there.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

I know! For me it's screenshots. I want screenshots on my phone, not synced to Photos! BUT Samsung decided to include Screenshots into the Camera folder, so they get synced. Great. That wasn't an issue a couple years back when you had the option, but now I have to move the ones I need to keep and just regularly check Photos to delete unwanted screenshots there.

So if you don't mind me asking you created a folder for your screenshots? How? Thanks.

 

[neil74]

Doesn't the free up space function do just this?

 

[SpookDroid]

Doesn't the free up space function do just this?

It does the opposite. Clears out pictures from your device because they're already backed up in the cloud. OP wants to keep some pictures in the device, but out of the cloud back up.

 

[SpookDroid]

So if you don't mind me asking you created a folder for your screenshots? How? Thanks.

I didn't, Samsung did. Inside the Camera folder (DCIM for Samsung phones) it creates a 'Screenshots' folder. But since Photos' options only let you either back up the whole camera folder or nothing at all for that particular location (or having to manually upload each and every picture... I guess that's one way of doing what you want, come to think of it... disable automatic sync, manually sync the pictures you want in the cloud picture by picture, don't sync the ones you want only in the device), then Screenshots get automatically uploaded too.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

I didn't, Samsung did. Inside the Camera folder (DCIM for Samsung phones) it creates a 'Screenshots' folder. But since Photos' options only let you either back up the whole camera folder or nothing at all for that particular location (or having to manually upload each and every picture... I guess that's one way of doing what you want, come to think of it... disable automatic sync, manually sync the pictures you want in the cloud picture by picture, don't sync the ones you want only in the device), then Screenshots get automatically uploaded too.

Interesting thing to consider thanks. Ashame the capability has been made complicated

 

[Okaro X]

I know for a fact on my Galaxy S8 just prior to this phone if I deleted photos on Google photos those same photos still stayed on the device and then if I wanted to delete the device photos I could do that I don't like the fact that I have to lose the photos from the device as well just because I delete them from the cloud on Google photos -- any help or suggestions or guidance much appreciated

I tried this and nothing helped. Even if I copied the file to an unsynced folder it still deleted both the original and the copy. You should store the image outside the phone and then later transfer it back to the phone.

If you run out of photos space it is better just to compress the images.

 

[Indecisi0n]

It really is a pain in the butt. I take a lot of useless photos and have to go into my phone to delete them then delete them from photos which is annoying. I wish I should set the sync to just run at night so then whatever useless photos I took and deleted throughout the day wouldn't backup.

 

[THEPRFCT10]

It really is a pain in the butt. I take a lot of useless photos and have to go into my phone to delete them then delete them from photos which is annoying. I wish I should set the sync to just run at night so then whatever useless photos I took and deleted throughout the day wouldn't backup.

Agreed completely!

 

[strikeIII]

You just have to delete them from photos app then it will automatically delete them from the device.

It really is a pain in the butt. I take a lot of useless photos and have to go into my phone to delete them then delete them from photos which is annoying. I wish I should set the sync to just run at night so then whatever useless photos I took and deleted throughout the day wouldn't backup.