You can delete photos from Google Photos in three ways: one at a time through the app or website, in bulk by selecting multiple photos at once, or by deleting your entire Google Photos library. Deleted photos go to Trash for 60 days before permanent removal. If you delete photos that are also backed up to Google Drive or your device, those copies remain unless you delete them separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Single photos delete when ready from your view but stay in Trash for 60 days, giving you time to change your mind.
  • Bulk deletion works the same way — select multiple photos, tap or click delete, and they move to Trash together.
  • Deleting from Google Photos does not delete the original file from your phone, computer, or Google Drive unless you delete it there too.
  • Permanently emptying Trash removes photos completely and cannot be undone, so review what is there before you confirm.
  • If you backed up photos to Google One or shared them in Google Drive folders, those copies stay unless you remove them separately.

Delete a single photo on your phone or tablet

Open the Google Photos app and find the photo you want to remove. Tap it once to open it full-screen. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a trash icon (usually a bin or trash can). Tap it. The photo moves to Trash when ready and disappears from your main library.

On an iPhone, the trash icon appears at the bottom right. On Android, it is usually at the bottom center or right. If you do not see a trash icon, look for a three-dot menu icon and tap it — delete or trash will be in that menu.

Delete a single photo on the Google Photos website

Go to photos.google.com in your browser and sign in with your Google account. Find the photo you want to delete and click it once to open it. Look for the trash icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen — it usually looks like a bin. Click it. The photo moves to Trash.

If you do not see the trash icon, click the three-dot menu icon at the top right of the photo. A dropdown menu appears with a delete option. Click it to send the photo to Trash.

Delete multiple photos at once

Bulk deletion saves time when you want to remove many photos. On your phone or tablet, open Google Photos and tap and hold on any photo — do not just tap it. That photo will be selected (you will see a checkmark appear). Now tap other photos you want to delete. Each one you tap gets a checkmark. You can select as many as you want.

Once you have selected all the photos you want to remove, look for the trash icon at the bottom of the screen and tap it. All selected photos move to Trash at once.

On the website, click the first photo you want to delete. Then hold Shift and click the last photo in the range you want — this selects all photos between them. Or click individual photos while holding Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) to select non-consecutive photos. Once selected, click the trash icon at the top.

Understand what happens when you delete

When you delete a photo from Google Photos, it does not disappear forever right away. It goes to your Trash folder, where it stays for 60 days. During those 60 days, you can open Trash, find the photo, and restore it back to your main library. After 60 days, Google Photos automatically and permanently deletes it.

If you want to delete a photo permanently before the 60 days are up, you can open Trash, select the photo, and choose to delete it permanently. This action cannot be undone.

Deleting from Google Photos does not delete the original file from your phone or computer. If you took the photo on your phone and it is stored there, the phone copy remains. If you uploaded a photo from your computer, the computer copy remains. You have to delete those separately if you want them gone.

Empty your Trash to permanently delete photos

To see what is in your Trash, open Google Photos and look for the Trash folder. On the app, swipe left through the bottom menu until you see Trash, or tap the menu icon and select Trash. On the website, click the Trash icon in the left sidebar.

Once you are in Trash, you can restore individual photos by tapping or clicking them and selecting restore, or you can permanently delete them. To empty all of Trash at once, look for an "Empty Trash" or "Delete All" button — usually at the top right on the website or in a menu on the app. Tap or click it, then confirm. This permanently removes all photos in Trash and cannot be reversed.

What happens to backed-up and shared photos

If you backed up photos to Google One (Google's paid storage service), deleting them from Google Photos removes them from your backup too. The same is true for photos you uploaded to Google Drive — deleting from Google Photos does not affect the Drive copy unless you are using the same account and the same file.

If you shared photos in a Google Drive folder or through a shared album, deleting them from Google Photos removes your copy but does not remove them from the shared folder or album. The other people who have access to that folder or album can still see the photos. If you want to remove a photo from a shared space, you have to delete it from that folder or album separately.

If you shared a photo through a link (a shareable URL), deleting it from Google Photos breaks that link. Anyone who tries to open the link will see an error message saying the photo is no longer available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a photo after I empty Trash?

No. Once you permanently delete a photo from Trash, it is gone for good. Google Photos keeps deleted photos in Trash for 60 days to give you a chance to change your mind, but once you empty Trash or the 60 days pass, recovery is not possible. If you have a backup elsewhere — on your phone, computer, or cloud storage — you can restore it from there.

Does deleting from Google Photos delete it from my phone?

No. Deleting from Google Photos only removes it from your Google Photos library. The original file stays on your phone or device. If you want it gone from your phone too, you have to delete it from your phone's photo app or file manager separately.

What if I delete a photo that is in multiple places?

Deleting from Google Photos only affects Google Photos. If the same photo exists in Google Drive, your phone, your computer, or another cloud service, those copies remain untouched. You have to delete it from each place separately if you want it completely gone.

Can I undo a permanent delete?

No. Once you permanently delete a photo — either by emptying Trash or waiting 60 days — it cannot be recovered through Google Photos. Your only option is to restore it from a backup if you have one saved elsewhere.

Does deleting photos free up storage space?

Yes, but only after the photo is permanently deleted. While a photo is in Trash, it still counts toward your Google account storage. Once you empty Trash or the 60-day period ends, the storage space is freed up and you can use it for new photos or files.