Google Photos Gives Users More Control with Undo Device Backup

Google has added a feature to its Photos app that should make it simpler to remove backed-up images and movies. Code strings of the Google Photos app suggested a capability with the same functionality, and it was apparently first seen in June. Known as “Undo Device Backup,” the tool enables users to delete media from Google’s cloud storage space without affecting its availability on a specific device’s local storage.

Google announced the feature’s deployment on a support website. Before its release, it was impossible to remove images and videos from the Google Photos backup without also deleting them from the device’s local storage. Although there was a workaround that involved shutting off the backup on a mobile device and then deleting the media on a desktop, it was more trouble than it was worth.

With the release of a new feature for the Google Photos app, Google is offering consumers more control over their images. Users can quickly delete all of the images and videos that are presently synchronized to their Google Photos account from a particular device by using the “Undo device backup” feature.

Users who might not want all of their device’s photos and videos to be automatically backed up to the cloud are catered to with this upgrade. You might not need the old photos taking up space in your Google Photos storage since you recently moved phones. Or perhaps you have a collection of private images that you would rather not share.

For users who might no longer wish to have all of their images and videos backed up, Google claims to have introduced the “Undo Device Backup” option. It might be especially helpful for customers who have only 15GB of storage for Gmail and Google Photos combined and are not enrolled in the Google One subscription.

“Undo device backup” makes it easier to get rid of unnecessary synced data. The feature is available in the Google Photos app’s settings, where users can choose “Undo backup for this device.” Crucially, this will not delete the images and videos from your device; rather, it will only delete them from your Google Photos cloud storage.

To make use of this feature:

1. Launch the Google Photos application.
2. Select Google Photos settings > Backup by tapping the profile picture icon.
3. Check the box that reads, “I understand my photos and videos from this device will be deleted from Google Photos,” and choose “undo backup for this device.”
4. Tap “Delete backup of Google Photos.”

This feature will remove all of the locally saved images and videos on a certain device from the Google Photos backup without impacting their local counterparts. Additionally, they will be eliminated from search results, memories, shared albums, and albums. Media in the Photos app’s locked folder is included. According to Google, backup will immediately stop whenever the Undo Device Backup option is enabled.

With this upgrade, customers can now effectively manage their cloud storage and customize their Google Photos experience.

This feature is now available on Google Photos for iOS and will soon be made available on Android. Employees of Gadgets 360 can verify that it is available on the most recent version of the Google Photos app.