Mar 4, 2021
How to disable the 'delete from all synced devices' in Google photos
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Google user
Mar 5, 2021
Mr UNKNOWN should have been more clear about that :-)
Diamond Product Expert PeteranDi recommended this
All Replies (6)
Mar 5, 2021
Hello, Jesse Garrett 62
Welcome to Google Photos Community Support Forum & thanks for your query.
There is no option to disable the action "Delete from all synced devices". That's a warning in reality.
We can stop that by turning off Backup and sync. However, the app will perform that action the moment we restart the sync.
The only possible workaround would be moving the photos on the affected device to another folder that is not getting synced.
Unfortunately moving the photos on the affected device to another folder that is not getting synced will not works as once backed up the link to the web copy is maintained regardless of where it is on the device.
Google user
Mar 5, 2021
Mr UNKNOWN should have been more clear about that :-)
Diamond Product Expert PeteranDi recommended this
Mar 5, 2021
Mar 8, 2021
@ all
"सीके _ wrote: "We can stop that by turning off Backup and sync. However, the app will perform that action the moment we restart the sync."
I cannot confirm that. I tested with 2 photos stored in the main memory of my phone:
- I deleted one photo in Google Photos on my computer with Backup & sync turned OFF. It (as expected) did not disappear from the phone. Google Photos still shows the device copy.
- I turn "Backup and sync" back ON on the phone: the photos does NOT disappear.
- To be sure I delete a second photo from Google Photos on the computer: it disappears almost immediately from Google Photos on the phone, thus also deletes the device copy. The first photos is still NOT deleted.
A way to achieve this permanently, at least for the Camera photos is:
- Set the camera app to store the photos on an SD card
- Do not give the Photos app permission to delete photos from the SD card
Google user
Mar 8, 2021
If Jesse don't want to use an additional sd-card, my solution is more simple.
But he is advised to complain straight to Google via the feedback option in the app, because many are frustrated by the fact that deleting on the site also deletes from phone. No one expects that.
And that does not happen when pictures are uploaded from computer - then deletion on the web does not cause deletions on computer. Even when using the Backup & Sync because that tool does sync to Drive only, but not to Photos.