Free up Google Photos Space on your Device (iPhone or Android)

If you get the “Device storage almost full” card, you can use Google Photos to delete the photos you have backed up to save space on your phone. When you delete copies of your photos and videos on your phone, you can have more storage space for items such as applications and music.

Photos and videos with more than 30 days can be deleted, but they will still be saved in your Google Photos library.

Free up space on your Android device

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos application.
2. Sign in to your Google account.
3. Touch Menu Menu and then Free space
4. You will see how many items will be deleted. To remove all items from your phone, touch Release up.
5. To view your photos and videos, go to photos.google.com or open the Photos application in Google Photos.

Free up space on your iPhone or iPad

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Photos Photos application.
2. Sign in to your Google account.
3. Touch Menu Menu and then Free space and then Delete.
4. When you are asked for permission to delete photos, touch Delete.
5. Open the iPhone or iPad photo application (not the Google photo application).
6. Touch Recently deleted and delete those same photos and videos.
7. To view your photos and videos, including those you deleted from your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Photos application.

What happens when you delete photos and videos from your phone?

If you delete copies of photos and videos on your phone, you can still: - 

1. View your photos and videos, including those you just deleted, in the Google Photos app and photos.google.com
2. Edit, share, delete and manage any item in your Google Photos library.

You will not be able to see the photos and videos that you deleted if: - 

1. You use the built-in gallery of your mobile device.
2. You are offline
3. You are not logged in to the Photos application in Google Photos.