Google Photos keeps uploading pictures you want to keep on your phone. Turning off its backup setting stops automatic uploads without deleting photos already saved to your Google Account. If you also want those existing cloud copies removed, there’s a separate option that keeps the originals on your device.
Turn off Google Photos backup on Android
Open Google Photos on your phone or tablet. Then tap your profile picture or initial and open Photos settings. Select Backup and turn Backup off.
Reopen the profile picture or initial menu. Check for Backup is off. Repeat these steps on every Android device that uploads pictures to your account.
Disable backup on iPhone or iPad
This stops automatic Google Photos uploads from that iPhone or iPad. Open Google Photos, then tap your profile picture or initial and choose Google Photos settings. Open Backup and switch Backup off.
Return to the profile picture or initial menu. Check for Backup is off.
Understand what turning backup off changes
Turning Backup off stops automatic uploads from that device. Pictures already stored in Google Photos stay there, and manual uploads remain available.
The app still displays pictures stored on your phone. Seeing them in Google Photos doesn’t mean automatic backup is running.
You don’t need to delete pictures or remove your Google Account to stop future uploads. Leave existing cloud copies alone if you want to keep your online library.
Remove existing backups while keeping phone copies
Use Undo backup to remove Google Photos copies of pictures currently stored on your device while keeping the device copies. Google documents it separately for Android and iPhone and iPad.
Check whether your account uses Samsung Gallery sync or contains Samsung-synced media. Google disables Undo backup in either case.
Turn Backup off on every other device where you want the local originals to remain, using the Android or iPhone steps above. On the device whose backup you want to remove, open Google Photos. Tap your profile picture or initial, then open Photos settings on Android or Google Photos settings on iPhone and iPad. Select Backup.
Choose Undo backup where available. This affects items currently on the device. Removing their cloud copies also removes their appearances in associated albums and memories.
Select the acknowledgment checkbox. Tap Delete Google Photos backup. The device copies remain, their Google Photos copies are removed, and Backup automatically turns off for this device.
Stop uploads from other devices and Samsung Gallery
Uploads continue when another device or Samsung Gallery is still backing up to your account. Turn Backup off on each other uploading phone or tablet using the steps above. On a compatible Samsung device using Gallery Cloud Sync, open Samsung Gallery’s Menu. Go to Settings.
Turn Sync photos and videos off. This stops new Gallery backups. Existing cloud copies and the account link remain. To disconnect Gallery too, open Linked apps in your Google Account settings.
Select Gallery Cloud Sync and choose Delete all. Existing Google backups remain. Synced cloud media is retained locally in Samsung apps only if you downloaded it separately.
Keep camera backup but exclude other Android folders
For screenshots, downloads, or pictures from other apps, use Android’s folder controls. They let you exclude those folders while keeping camera backup.
Open Google Photos. Follow profile picture or initial > Photos settings > Backup > Back up device folders.
Turn off each folder you don’t want uploaded. These switches leave camera backup enabled. Then switch Back up all device folders off to prevent newly created folders from being included automatically.
Pause Google Photos uploads from your computer
This applies to computer-folder backup through Google Photos in a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge. Closing its running tab and app windows pauses automatic uploads.
Close the photos.google.com browser tab, then close any running Photos Web App window. Selected folders don’t automatically back up while these are closed. Reopening them allows uploads to resume.
Older tutorials point to Drive for desktop or the retired Backup and Sync app. Google Photos backup support in Drive for desktop ended on August 10, 2026. Current computer-folder backup uses the browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete only a few cloud photos without deleting them from my phone?
Yes. First turn Backup off on every device where you want the originals to remain. In a browser, open photos.google.com and select the backed-up pictures. Delete the selected items. Wait a few minutes with your phone connected to Wi-Fi, then reopen Google Photos. Leave Backup off to prevent another upload or effects on local copies.
How do I unsync Google Photos from my partner’s account?
On photos.google.com, open Settings. Expand Sharing, choose Partner sharing, then select Remove partner. Previously saved copies remain in each account. Ending Partner Sharing doesn’t turn off camera backup.
Does blocking cellular data stop Google Photos backup completely?
No. Cellular-data restrictions leave Wi-Fi uploads enabled. On iPhone, open Settings > Cellular and turn Google Photos off in the app list. On a cellular-capable iPad, use Settings > Cellular Data. To stop automatic backup over both connections, turn Backup off inside Google Photos.
Do I need to uninstall Google Photos to stop uploads?
No. Turn Backup off to stop its automatic uploads from that device. Before uninstalling or clearing app data, preserve any local-only Locked Folder items elsewhere. Those actions put unbacked-up Locked Folder items at risk of permanent loss. Separately configured uploaders, including Samsung Gallery, have their own backup controls.