How to free up space in Google Photos

Reclaim storage on your Android device by clearing redundant media and optimizing existing backups using Google Photos tools.

1. Run the Free Up Space tool. Open the Google Photos app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Select Free up space to automatically remove photos and videos from your device that have already been backed up to the cloud. Confirm by tapping the Free up button in the prompt.
2. Manage large files and clutter. Navigate to the Library tab and tap Utilities. Locate the Manage storage section to identify Large photos & videos, Blurry photos, and Screenshots. Select each category to review and delete unwanted high-capacity files permanently.
3. Convert original quality backups to storage saver. Access the Google Photos settings via your profile icon. Select Photos settings, then tap Backup. Choose Backup quality and toggle from Original quality to Storage saver to compress existing and future uploads, significantly reducing storage consumption.
4. Permanently delete trash files. Go to the Library tab and select Trash. Tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner and select Empty trash. Confirm the deletion to permanently remove these files from your Google account storage.
5. Disable unnecessary device folder backups. In the Photos settings menu, select Backup and tap Back up device folders. Identify folders containing low-priority content like instant messaging images or social media caches. Toggle these folders to the off position to prevent them from consuming cloud storage.