Google recently issued a community post to clarify how deleting photos and videos in Google Photos operates across devices. Users may find the process complex, as actions can lead to different outcomes depending on backup settings.
When backup is disabled, deleting a photo from the app removes it solely from the device, unless a local trash bin is available. Conversely, if backup is enabled, the photo will be deleted from both the device and the cloud account. Notably, the “Delete from device” option, which allows users to keep the cloud version intact, was not highlighted in Google’s explanation.
Additionally, users deleting photos from the photos.google.com website will only affect the cloud-stored version, leaving the local copy untouched. To remove it from a device, users must delete it directly from the app or use the “Free up space” feature. Deleted items are retained in the trash for 60 days before permanent removal.