Google Photos is a popular cloud storage service for photos and videos. It offers free unlimited storage for photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p resolution (if you choose the “High quality” option). However, there may be times when you want to delete your Google Photos account and stop using the service. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to do that.
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Back Up Your Photos Before Deleting Your Account
Before deleting your Google Photos account, it is crucial to back up your photos and videos. You don’t want to lose all your precious memories just because you are switching cloud services. Here are some options to back up your media:
- Download your photos to your computer: You can download all your photos and videos from Google Photos to store them locally on your computer. Just go to photos.google.com, select all photos, click on the three-dot menu and choose “Download”.
- Use third-party apps: Apps like Takeout or Backup and Sync can help you download your entire Google Photos library. Some apps also let you transfer the photos directly to other cloud storage services.
- Manually transfer: You can manually save individual photos and albums from Google Photos to services like Dropbox, OneDrive or iCloud. This takes more effort but gives you more control.
Once you have safely backed up your photos elsewhere, you can go ahead and delete your Google Photos account.
Delete Google Photos App From Your Devices
The first step in disabling Google Photos is to remove the app from all your devices like phones, tablets and computers. Here are the steps:
On Android
- Open the Apps menu on your Android device
- Locate the Google Photos app
- Tap on it and select “Uninstall”
On iPhone/iPad
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage
- Find Google Photos in the list of apps
- Tap on it and select “Delete App”
On Windows/macOS
- Search for “Google Photos” app on your computer
- Right-click on the app icon
- Choose “Uninstall”
Uninstalling the app removes your ability to access Google Photos but doesn’t delete your account yet.
Remove Google Photos From Your Google Account
To fully disable Google Photos, you need to remove it from your Google Account. Follow these steps:
- Go to myaccount.google.com and sign-in
- On the left panel, click on “Data & personalization”
- Under “Download, delete, or make a plan for your data”, click on Delete a service or your account
- Click on Delete a service
- Locate Google Photos in the list and click on Delete to confirm
This will remove Google Photos from your Google Account while keeping the account active. Your photos will still be in the cloud for 2 months before being deleted forever.
Delete Your Entire Google Account
If you want to delete your Google Account altogether along with Google Photos, you can do that too:
- Go to myaccount.google.com and sign-in
- On the left panel, click on “Data & personalization”
- Under “Download, delete, or make a plan for your data”, click on Delete your account
- Select Delete Products and check all the Google services you use
- Enter your password and click Delete account
This will immediately and permanently delete your entire Google Account with all data. So only do this if you no longer need to use any Google services at all.
Alternative Photo Storage Options
Now that you have deleted Google Photos, here are some alternative cloud storage options to consider:
Dropbox
- Offers 2GB free storage
- Paid plans start at $9.99/month for 2TB storage
- Backs up photos automatically
- Has file version history and recovery options
Amazon Photos
- Get free unlimited photo storage with Prime membership
- 5GB free storage for videos and other files
- Allows sharing photos with friends and family
iCloud (For iPhone/iPad Users)
- Comes built-in with iOS devices
- Offers 5GB free storage
- Seamlessly integrates with Apple devices
- Easy sharing with friends/family using iCloud links
Adobe Creative Cloud
- Get 1TB storage with Creative Cloud plans
- Automatically syncs all your creative work
- Integrates with Adobe apps like Lightroom
So those are the best ways to completely delete your Google Photos account and stop using their cloud storage service, along with some alternative options you can switch to. Let me know in the comments if you have any other questions!
