Google Photos backs up your photos automatically unless you turn it off
Google Photos runs in the background on most Android phones and synced Google accounts, uploading pictures and videos to Google's servers without asking each time. If you do not want this happening, you need to disable the backup feature in the app itself — simply deleting the app does not stop the syncing if you use Gmail or another Google service on the same device.
The steps differ slightly between Android and iPhone, and whether you want to pause backup temporarily or turn it off completely. This guide covers both, plus how to delete photos that are already backed up if you want them gone from Google's servers.
Key Takeaways
- Disabling backup in the Google Photos app stops new uploads, but photos already backed up stay on Google's servers until you delete them separately.
- On Android, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, go to Photos Settings, and toggle off Backup and Sync.
- On iPhone, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, select Photos Settings, and turn off Backup and Sync.
- Pausing backup temporarily is different from disabling it — paused backup resumes automatically after a few days or when you restart your phone.
- Deleting the Google Photos app does not stop backup if you use Gmail or Google Drive on the same device, because backup runs through your Google account.
How to disable backup on Android
Open the Google Photos app on your Android phone. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner — it appears as a circle with your initial or photo inside it.
Tap Photos Settings from the menu that appears. Scroll down until you see Backup and Sync and tap it. Toggle the switch to the off position. The switch will turn gray when it is off.
Once you turn off Backup and Sync, Google Photos stops uploading new photos and videos. Photos you took before this moment remain backed up to your Google account unless you delete them separately. You can verify the setting took effect by going back to the main Google Photos screen — if backup is off, you will see a message saying "Backup is off" near the top of the screen.
How to disable backup on iPhone
Open the Google Photos app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Photos Settings from the menu.
Tap Backup and Sync and toggle it off. The switch turns gray when disabled. On iPhone, you may also see a prompt asking whether you want to keep or delete photos from your iPhone's camera roll — this is separate from the backup setting and does not affect what is stored on Google's servers.
After disabling backup on iPhone, new photos stay only on your device. Existing backed-up photos remain in your Google Photos account online until you remove them through the web version or the app.
The difference between pausing and disabling backup
Google Photos offers a Pause option separate from turning off Backup and Sync completely. Pause temporarily stops uploads for a few days, then resumes automatically. This is useful if you are traveling or on limited data and want backup to resume later without having to remember to turn it back on.
To pause backup, tap your profile picture, go to Photos Settings, and select Pause Backup instead of toggling off Backup and Sync. The pause lasts until you manually resume it or until your phone restarts, after which backup may resume on its own depending on your settings.
If you want backup off permanently, disable Backup and Sync instead. Pausing is only for temporary stops.
Deleting photos already backed up to Google
Turning off backup does not remove photos that are already stored on Google's servers. To delete those, you need to remove them from your Google Photos account separately.
Open Google Photos and select the photos you want to delete by tapping and holding on one photo, then tapping others to select multiple. Tap the trash icon at the bottom of the screen. Photos move to the Trash folder and stay there for 60 days before Google deletes them permanently. If you want them gone immediately, open the Trash folder, select the photos, and tap Delete Permanently.
You can also delete all backed-up photos at once by going to Google Photos on the web, selecting all photos (use Ctrl+A or Cmd+A), and deleting them. This is faster than deleting through the phone app if you have thousands of photos.
What happens to your Google account when you disable backup
Disabling Google Photos backup does not affect your Gmail, Google Drive, or other Google services. Your Google account stays active and you can still use Google services normally.
However, if you use Google Drive to back up files or documents, that backup continues separately from Google Photos. Google Photos and Google Drive are different services with different backup settings. Turning off one does not turn off the other.
If you delete the Google Photos app entirely, backup stops, but your Google account remains on your device. You can still receive emails, access Google Drive, and use other Google services. The app can be reinstalled later if you change your mind.
Stopping backup without deleting the app
You do not need to delete Google Photos to stop backup. Simply disabling Backup and Sync in settings is enough. The app stays on your phone and you can still view photos that are already backed up — you just cannot upload new ones.
This is useful if you want to keep the app for viewing old photos or for occasional use without the automatic upload running in the background. Many people disable backup but keep the app installed so they can browse their photo library when needed.
If you do want to delete the app, the process differs by phone. On Android, long-press the Google Photos icon and select Uninstall. On iPhone, long-press the icon and select Remove App, then choose Delete App. Deleting the app removes it from your phone but does not delete photos from your Google account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my photos disappear if I turn off backup?
No. Photos already backed up stay in your Google Photos account. Turning off backup only stops new uploads. Existing photos remain accessible through Google Photos on the web or the app until you delete them.
Can I turn backup back on after disabling it?
Yes. Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, go to Photos Settings, and toggle Backup and Sync back on. Any new photos taken after you re-enable it will upload to your Google account.
Does disabling Google Photos backup affect my Gmail?
No. Google Photos and Gmail are separate services with separate backup settings. Turning off Google Photos backup does not change your email or any other Google service.
What if I want to keep some photos but delete others from Google?
Open Google Photos, select the photos you want to remove by tapping and holding, then tap the trash icon. You can select individual photos or multiple photos at once. Photos in Trash are permanently deleted after 60 days.
Does turning off backup free up space on my phone?
Disabling backup does not free up space because it only stops new uploads. Photos already on your phone take up the same amount of space whether backup is on or off. To free up space, you need to delete photos from your device itself.