How to Delete All Your Google Photos at Once

Two ways to delete all photos from Google Photos

Both methods end in Google Photos Trash. Neither requires you to empty Trash immediately.

Fast method: move the whole library to Trash with Batch

Batch works inside the open Google Photos tab, moves items to Trash, and can be stopped. It does not empty Trash or permanently delete photos.

Step by step

1. On a desktop computer, install Batch from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Open photos.google.com in Chrome.
3. Click your profile picture and confirm the Google account you mean to clear.
4. If you need a copy, finish and test your backup before continuing.
5. Click the blue Batch button inside Google Photos.
6. Scroll to Entire library.
7. Choose Move all to Trash.

8. Read the confirmation. Complete the confirmation only if it names the account and action you expect.
9. Keep the Google Photos tab and Chrome open while Batch works. Large libraries take time.
10. When the run ends, open Trash in Google Photos. Review the contents and restore anything you did not mean to move.
11. Leave Trash alone until you are certain. If you later choose to empty it, that permanent step happens in Google Photos, not Batch.

After the run

Do not judge the result only from an empty-looking Photos grid. Check:

• Trash: Is the expected date range there?
• Archive and Locked Folder: Items there may need a separate pass, and Locked Folder follows Google’s own instructions.
• Storage: The meter may not update instantly, and deleting items that never counted against your quota will not recover quota.

Manual method: bulk delete with Shift+click

You can delete Google Photos in groups without installing anything. Use the web version on a computer. It is easier to control than a phone when you are selecting a long range.

Step by step

1. Open photos.google.com on a computer.
2. Confirm the Google account from the profile menu.
3. In the main Photos view, hover over the first item in the group and click its checkmark.
4. Scroll down until you reach the last item you want in that group. Let thumbnails load as you go. Jumping straight down with the scrollbar can leave part of the range unloaded.
5. Hold Shift and click the checkmark on the last item. Google Photos should select the loaded range between them.
6. Look at the selected count and scan the first and last dates.

7. Click the Trash icon and read the confirmation.
8. Choose Move to Trash only if the selection is right.
9. Repeat with the next manageable group.
10. When the Photos grid is clear, inspect Archive, Locked Folder, and any account-specific areas you use.
11. Review Trash and restore mistakes before any permanent deletion.

If selecting the whole library fails

A very large one-shot selection can become slow or unstable. That is a browser limitation, not proof that the photos are gone. Try:

• smaller month-by-month or year-by-year ranges;
• waiting for thumbnails to load before the second click;
• checking the selected count before every Trash action.

Do not run unreviewed console scripts copied from a forum. A script can act on the wrong account, change without notice, or continue after the screen no longer matches its assumptions.

Albums are not folders

Removing a photo from an album does not delete the photo from your library, so clear the library from the main Photos view or deliberately choose Move to Trash for the item.

Three checks before either method

1. Confirm the account and synced devices

Open Google Photos, click your profile picture, and read the full email address, because a personal, work, school, or old family account is easy to confuse. Then check every phone or tablet signed in to that account: Google says items deleted from Google Photos are also removed from Android devices, iPhones, and iPads where Google Photos is installed and Backup is turned on, along with albums, shared albums and conversations you added them to.

2. Open a sample from your backup

Use Google Takeout for a full archive, or follow our guide to downloading your entire Google Photos library. Before deleting:

1. Open the downloaded folder or Takeout archive.
2. Test photos and videos from several years.
3. Check a few Live or Motion photos if you care about their motion.
4. Confirm the backup is on a different drive or service from the library you plan to clear.
5. Make sure you have enough space for the full archive, not just the first download file.

3. Know the difference between Trash and permanent deletion

Moving an item to Trash is the reversible step. Emptying Trash, choosing Delete permanently, or letting the recovery window expire is the irreversible step. Google’s help pages show different recovery windows by platform, so use the expiration shown on your own items rather than a number from an old article, and stop to read the warning if Google offers Delete permanently instead of Move to Trash.

The safest order is:

1. Move items to Trash.
2. Review what moved.
3. Restore mistakes.
4. Wait if you are unsure.
5. Permanently delete only when you are certain.

Keep the photos on your phone but remove them from Google Photos

Do not start with the delete-all steps above. The Google Photos app connects the cloud library and backed-up device items, so deleting from the app can remove both copies.

For photos and videos currently on one phone or tablet, Google now provides Undo backup for this device:

1. Open the Google Photos app on the device that holds the copies you want to keep.
2. Tap your profile picture or initial.
3. Open Google Photos settings → Backup.
4. Scroll down and choose Undo backup for this device.
5. Read Google’s explanation. Confirm only if it says the photos and videos will remain on that device.
6. Check the confirmation box and choose Delete Google Photos backup.

Google says this removes from Google Photos the photos and videos currently found on that device, while leaving them on the device. It also removes those cloud items from albums, shared albums, search results, and memories. Backup turns off automatically on that device.

If the menu wording on your device differs, stop and use Google’s current Delete photos and videos help page. Do not guess through a destructive prompt.

Do not confuse this with “Free up space on this device”

Free up space on this device does the reverse job: it deletes eligible local copies from the phone after they are backed up, while keeping the cloud copies in Google Photos. Use it only when your phone is full and you want to keep the online library.

If you only need more space

You may not need to empty the library. Start with Google’s storage manager, large videos, screenshots, blurry photos, and items that actually count toward storage. You can also keep the best photo from similar shots or convert Live and Motion photos to stills.

Google account storage is shared with Gmail and Drive, and deleting items that never counted will not recover quota. See other ways to free up Google Photos storage.

What happens after you move everything to Trash

Can you restore it?

Usually, yes, while the item is still in Trash and before its displayed expiration. Open Trash, select the items, and choose Restore. Restored items can return to the Google Photos library and albums they were in.

You cannot restore an item through Google Photos after you permanently delete it, empty Trash, or let its recovery period expire.

Does it disappear from synced devices?

It can. Google says deleted items are also removed from devices with Google Photos installed and Backup turned on. Read the confirmation Google Photos shows for your account before proceeding.

Does it disappear from shared albums?

An item you delete is removed from your Google Photos library and from Google Photos albums, shared albums, and conversations where you added that item. If another person previously saved a copy to their own library, their copy is controlled by their account.

Does storage come back immediately?

Not always. The storage meter may take time to update, and only photos that counted against your quota can recover quota. If immediate storage recovery is essential, review Trash first, then use Google Photos’ permanent deletion control only when you accept that the items cannot be restored.

Troubleshooting

Photos keep coming back

A phone, tablet, or computer may still have Backup turned on. Check every device signed in to the same Google account. If you used Undo backup for this device, do not turn Backup back on until you understand which local photos it will upload.

The Shift selection misses photos

The full range may not have loaded. Return to the first item, scroll at a steady pace so thumbnails render, then Shift+click a closer endpoint. Work in smaller groups and verify the selected count.

Google Photos offers “Delete permanently” instead of “Move to Trash”

Stop. Google says this can happen when Trash is full. A permanent deletion cannot be restored. Inspect and empty only the existing Trash items you are certain you no longer need, or wait and reconsider the job.

Batch stopped before finishing

Keep Chrome and the Google Photos tab open during the run. Reopen Batch and check the current state before starting again. Inspect both the Photos grid and Trash so you know what has already moved. If the site or extension shows an error, capture the exact message and contact Batch support.

Frequently asked questions

Can I delete all Google Photos at once?

Google Photos does not have a built-in select-all button for the entire library. On a computer, you can select loaded ranges with Shift+click and repeat. Batch can work through the entire photo and video library and move it to Trash in one run.

How do I delete all photos from Google Photos but keep them on my phone?

Use Google Photos’ Undo backup for this device option before attempting a manual delete-all. In the app, go to profile picture → Google Photos settings → Backup → Undo backup for this device. Google says this removes the backed-up cloud copies for items currently on that device while keeping the device copies. Check every other signed-in device because one with Backup still on can upload them again.

Will deleting Google Photos delete them from my phone?

It can. Google says items deleted from Google Photos are also removed from Android devices, iPhones, and iPads where Google Photos is installed and Backup is turned on. Read the deletion confirmation and use the separate device-backup removal flow when you want to keep local copies.

How long do deleted Google Photos stay in Trash?

Use the expiration shown in your Google Photos Trash. Google’s current help pages show different recovery periods depending on platform and whether an item was backed up. An item cannot be restored after you empty Trash, choose Delete permanently, or let its displayed recovery period expire.

Does Batch permanently delete photos or upload them?

No. Batch moves photos and videos to Google Photos Trash using Google Photos’ own action inside the open tab. It does not empty Trash, use Delete permanently, or pass your photo files through Batch servers. You control the final step in Google Photos.