[Solved] Google holds my photos hostage?
from xtapa@discuss.tchncs.de to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 18 Jul 2025 22:19
https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/40926285
from xtapa@discuss.tchncs.de to degoogle@lemmy.ml on 18 Jul 2025 22:19
https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/40926285
edit: Solved.
The title is a bit theatrical. My google account tells me my storage is full and urges me to buy more storage. The problem is, that on my new phone G Photos just started to put all my photos into the cloud.
How can I remove my photos from the cloud without losing them locally on my phone? I tried logging out of Photos, but then I cannot access my photos. I just requested an archive download via takeout.google.com so I hopefully have a backup, but I still need to get rid of all the photos in the cloud to free up the storage.
I recently started a home server and want to move to selfhosted services, but that will take it’s time, so for now, I am forced to continue google services.
Can you help me?
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Why can’t you just download them and delete the copy in Google photos?
I made a backup from my phone. When I tried logging out of Gphotos, the app did not show any photos at all, so I guess I assumed that there are currently no local photos. I was wrong. I just made a backup and found a “delete photos backup from cloud” button and it worked. Thanks.
edit: Also, my second child was born a week ago, so my brain probably/obviously suffers from too little sleep.
First thing, disable all auto backup on your phone. This is step 1 for anything.
If you have access to a computer, log in to Photos through a browser and delete images there and it won’t affect your phone’s storage. Maybe test it with an image if lesser importance before you bulk delete.
You could also move your locally stored photos to a different, temporary folder. Then delete the backed up ones in Photos. Then move the local files back.
I wouldn’t rely on the Google Takeout images. If the standard settings applied, the images will all be in Google’s compressed format. Granted, most people in the world couldn’t tell the difference. But it might be better to keep the best quality for the future.
I did, but turns out, it either did not save the setting or has more than one place to deactivate. I tried again and after turning backups off, there was an option to delete all backups from the cloud, wich I did after saving the photos to my pc and I got back some space. Thanks for your help.
I was going to suggest rclone but it looks like Google recently broke that 😢 rclone.org/googlephotos/
One recommendation for your home server is Immich [immich.app]. I’ve got it running in a docker container and there is an associated android app for your phone. Every time I take a photo it automatically gets synced to my home server.
My research has been on surface level, but immich was one I was looking at. I’d like to try something without payment, but in the end, a safe place for all my kids photos would be worth it I guess.
You can install immich for free no payment required. The payment is just for people who want to support the very hard working immich devs.