Skip to content
GalleryJury
Menu

How-to guide

How to free up space in Google Photos (phone and cloud)

Short answer

Google Photos has two kinds of space. To free phone space, tap your profile picture, then Free up space on this device: backed-up copies leave the phone but stay in the cloud. To free Google storage, use Manage storage to review blurry photos, screenshots and large videos, delete them, and empty Trash.

Last updated

How to free up space with Google Photos

  1. Free up phone space. Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture > Free up space on this device > Free up [x] from device. Only backed-up items are removed from the phone; items newer than 30 days may stay.
  2. Open Manage storage for the cloud. Tap your profile picture > Photos settings (or Account storage) > Manage storage. You can also reach it from Google One: Clean up space > Clean up by service > Google Photos.
  3. Review the suggested categories. Open Blurry photos, Screenshots or Large photos and videos. Swipe right to mark for deletion, left to keep.
  4. Delete. Tap Review, then Delete and Move to trash.
  5. Empty Trash. Items in Trash still count toward your storage until it is emptied or the items expire. Open Library > Trash > Empty trash to free the space now.
  6. Stop backing up WhatsApp folders. In Photos settings > Backup > Back up device folders, turn off WhatsApp Images if you don't want forwards uploaded.

What does Free up space in Google Photos actually do?

It deletes the copy on your phone of every photo and video that is already safely backed up. The photo stays in Google Photos, viewable over the internet. It does not delete anything from your Google account, so it does not help if your Google storage is full.

Why is Free up space greyed out or showing 0 B?

  • Backup is off or still in progress, so there are no backed-up copies to remove.
  • The photos on your phone are newer than about 30 days.
  • The photos are in a folder that is not backed up (check Back up device folders).

What does Manage storage miss?

Google's tool covers blurry photos, screenshots and large files. It does not pick the best of similar shots, find good-morning images and memes, or tell junk screenshots from important ones. GalleryJury doesn't connect to Google Photos: it frees space on your phone, and if Google Photos backed a photo up, the cloud copy stays in your Google account. Google does not allow third-party apps to delete from Google Photos.

Frequently asked questions

If I delete a photo in Google Photos, is it deleted from my phone too?

Yes, when you delete from the Google Photos app with backup on, it is removed from the phone and the cloud and goes to Trash. Free up space is different: it only removes the phone copy.

Does storage saver (Storage saver quality) save space?

Yes. Storage saver uploads at reduced quality, which uses less Google storage. Since June 2021 both Original and Storage saver count toward your quota.

How long does Google Photos keep deleted photos?

Google says backed-up items stay in Trash for 60 days, and items that are not backed up stay for 30 days.

Sources

  1. Google Photos Help: Free up space on your device (checked 25 October 2026)
  2. Google Photos Help: Manage your storage (checked 25 October 2026)
  3. Google Photos Help: Back up device folders (checked 25 October 2026)
  4. Google Photos Help: Delete & restore photos and videos (checked 25 October 2026)

GalleryJury is coming soon to Android

It keeps the best shot from every burst and clears the clutter around it. 50 free photos to try, then $5 for 5,000 photos or $15 for 20,000. Pay once, nothing renews. No subscription.

Coming soon toGoogle Play