How to Delete All Photos From Google Photos

Google Photos makes it easy to back up and revisit memories — but when it's time to clear everything out, the process isn't as obvious as you might expect. Whether you're switching accounts, leaving the platform, or reclaiming Google storage, deleting all your photos requires a few deliberate steps. Here's exactly how it works.

Why Deleting From Google Photos Isn't One Tap

Google Photos is designed to protect your memories, not erase them quickly. There's no single "delete everything" button in the main interface. Instead, Google uses a Trash/Bin system — deleted photos move there first and are permanently removed after 60 days, unless you empty it manually.

This two-stage process means deleting all photos is a two-step job:

1. Select and delete all photos (they move to Trash)
2. Empty the Trash to free up storage immediately

Understanding this matters because many users delete photos expecting instant storage relief — only to find their Google account still shows the same usage until the Trash is cleared.

How to Delete All Photos on Mobile (Android & iOS)

Google Photos doesn't offer a "select all" button on mobile in the same intuitive way desktop does, but there's a workable method:

1. Open Google Photos
2. Tap on the first photo to enter selection mode (long-press)
3. Scroll down and tap the last photo while holding — on some versions, this selects everything in between
4. Alternatively, scroll and continue tapping to select large batches
5. Tap the Trash icon to delete the selected photos
6. Confirm deletion

For large libraries, this can be tedious on mobile. The desktop/web method is significantly more efficient for bulk deletion.

How to Delete All Photos Using Google Photos on the Web 🖥️

This is the fastest method for most users with large photo libraries:

1. Go to photos.google.com in a browser
2. Click the first photo in your library
3. Scroll to the bottom of your library
4. Hold Shift and click the last photo — this selects your entire visible library
5. Click the Trash icon (top right)
6. Confirm

For very large libraries (thousands of photos), you may need to repeat this in batches as Google Photos loads images dynamically rather than all at once.

Emptying the Trash

After deleting, your storage won't update until the Trash is emptied:

1. In Google Photos, click Library → Trash (web) or the hamburger menu → Trash (mobile)
2. Click Empty Trash or select all items and delete permanently
3. Confirm permanent deletion

⚠️ This action is irreversible. Once emptied, photos cannot be recovered through Google Photos.

What About Google One Storage?

Deleting photos from Google Photos does free up Google account storage — the same pool shared by Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. However, your storage counter may take a short time to update after the Trash is emptied. If you're trying to downgrade a Google One plan, verify the storage reading has refreshed before making changes.

The Device Copy vs. Cloud Copy Distinction

This is one of the most important variables to understand before deleting anything.

If you backed up photos from your phone to Google Photos, deleting them from the cloud does not automatically delete them from your device. Conversely, deleting from your phone gallery doesn't remove cloud backups. These are treated as separate copies unless you're using a specific sync setting that links them.

Shared Albums, Partner Sharing, and Archived Photos

A full library wipe gets more complicated if you've used:

• Shared albums — photos in shared albums may persist for other participants even after you delete them from your own library
• Partner sharing — photos shared with a Google account partner have their own visibility rules
• Archive — archived photos don't appear in the main view but are still in your library and need to be deleted separately
• Locked Folder — content in the Locked Folder is stored locally on your device, not backed up to Google's servers, and must be deleted from there directly

If you're doing a full account cleanup, it's worth checking each of these areas individually rather than assuming the main library view shows everything.

Using Google Takeout Before You Delete

If there's any chance you'll want your photos later, use Google Takeout (takeout.google.com) to download your entire library before deleting. You can export photos in their original quality as a ZIP archive. This is a one-way door — once photos are permanently deleted from Google Photos, there's no recovery option through the platform.

The Variables That Affect Your Approach 📱

How straightforward this process is depends on several factors specific to your situation:

• Library size — A few hundred photos versus tens of thousands requires very different time and patience
• Device type — Web browsers handle bulk selection more smoothly than mobile apps
• Sync settings — Whether Backup & Sync is on affects whether deleting in one place affects the other
• Shared content — Albums shared with others may behave differently than private photos
• Storage urgency — If you need storage freed immediately, emptying Trash promptly matters; if not, the 60-day auto-delete handles it

The steps are consistent — but the experience of executing them, and what counts as "done," varies considerably depending on how your Google Photos account is set up and how you've been using it.