Full storage is a problem faced by every owner of a smartphone based on Android. Often, users do not even suspect that their photos and videos are automatically copied to cloud storage, taking up precious gigabytes. When the space runs out, the system stops accepting new pictures or downloading important documents.
You need to understand the difference between deleting a file from your phone's gallery and erasing it from cloud account. Simply deleting from local memory doesn't always free up space on Google's servers, and sometimes the opposite happens: deleting in the cloud erases the file from the device as well. Let's take a look at how to properly manage video recordings so as not to lose important moments and clear your memory.
In this article we will look at all the nuances of working with Google Photos i Google Drive. You'll learn the difference between synced and local files, and how to safely free up space. Correctly setting these parameters will help you avoid unpleasant surprises with a lack of memory at the most inopportune moment.
Differences between Google Photos and Google Drive
Many users confuse these two services, although they perform different functions. Google Photos is focused on multimedia: it automatically creates backup copies of your pictures and videos, sorting them by dates and persons. Google Drive it is a classic file storage for documents, archives and any other types of files that you manually uploaded there.
When you are looking for a way to delete a video from the cloud, it is important to first determine where exactly it is located. If the video was shot on a phone camera, most likely it ended up in Google Photos. If you downloaded a movie or received a video file via messenger and saved it to the cloud, it may be located on Google Drive.
The deletion procedure in these services has its own characteristics, but the principle of synchronization remains similar. Deleting a file in an application on your phone often leads to its deletion on all other devices where you are signed in to this account.
It is worth noting that Compression algorithms Google Photos can change video quality to save space if the appropriate option is enabled. On Disk, the files are stored in their original form, taking up exactly as much space as the source file weighs. This is critical to consider when planning a cleanup.
Preparing for deletion: checking synchronization
Before you begin a bulk deletion, you need to verify the synchronization status of your data. If you delete a video that has not yet been fully uploaded to the cloud, you may lose it forever. Check the bubble icon next to the files: if there is an exclamation mark or a download circle next to it, the process is still in progress.
⚠️ Attention: Deleting a video from the Google Photos cloud or Drive will cause it to disappear from all devices linked to this account. Make sure you have a local copy of important files on your external hard drive or computer before cleaning.
It's also worth checking to see if the video is part of a shared album group. In Google Photos there are “Partner Albums” or shared albums where other users could add files. Deleting such a video from your account may not affect the original owner, but will hide it from your access.
It is recommended to back up your most valuable footage to physical media in advance. This rule of digital hygiene will help avoid panic in case of mistaken deletion. Remember that the cloud trash bin only stores deleted files for 60 days, after which they are gone forever.
Use the Free Space feature in Google Photos to securely delete only videos that are already securely stored in the cloud. This will eliminate the risk of data loss if the connection is lost.
How to delete a video through the Google Photos application
The most common scenario is clearing the gallery through the app Google Photos. This method is suitable for videos that are automatically synced from your smartphone camera. The deletion process here is intuitive, but has its own hidden nuances.
Open the application and go to the "Library" or "Photo" section. You can select files one at a time or use the bulk selection feature. To do this, you need to long press on one video, and then tap on the others that you want to delete.
- 🗑️ Click on the trash icon in the lower right corner of the screen to send the selected videos to the deleted ones.
- 📂 Go to the "Library" → "Trash" menu to find recently deleted files.
- 🧹 Click "Empty Trash" or select specific files for permanent deletion.
It is important to understand that after being added to the Trash, the video continues to take up space in your cloud storage until it is completely cleared. Only after the cart is empty will the occupied space counter be updated. If you want to free up space right now, it is mandatory.
☑️ Check before deleting in Google Photos
There is also a “Free up space” function that automatically deletes from the device those photos and videos that are already saved in the cloud. This is a great way to quickly clear the internal memory of your phone without losing access to media files via the Internet.
Deleting videos via Google Drive
If your video files are stored in Google Drive, the procedure will be different. Here, files often have a complex folder structure, and deletion may affect documents related to work or school. Be especially careful when working with shared folders.
Go to the application Google Drive or the web version of the service. Find the video you need through search or manually in the folder structure. Selecting several files at once will significantly speed up the cleaning process.
After selection, click on the three dots in the upper right corner (or right-click on a PC) and select "Delete". The file will move to the trash can, which is located in the side navigation menu. There you can restore it or delete it permanently.
| Action | Google Photos | Google Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Storage location | Automatic synchronization | Manual download or backup WhatsApp |
| Time in cart | 60 days | 30 days |
| Impact on location | Immediately after emptying cart | Immediately after emptying the trash |
| Risk of loss | High (synchronization with the camera) | Medium (depending on the importance of the files) |
Particular attention should be paid to files that were added by you, but belong to to another user. If you delete such a file from your disk, it will remain with the owner, but will disappear from your access. This is a common situation when working with corporate accounts.
Cleaning via the web interface from a computer
It is much more convenient to manage large volumes of video from a computer. The web version of Google services provides more functionality and allows you to quickly select files using the keyboard. This is especially true if you need to delete hundreds of videos.
Go to photos.google.com or drive.google.com. Log in with your account. Here you can use keyboard shortcuts, for example, hold Shift to select a range of files or Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) for selective selection.
The web interface often shows more detailed information about the weight of files and the date they were created. This helps you make an informed decision about what to delete first. Large 4K video files take up the most space, and deleting them will have the greatest effect.
The secret to fast cleaning on the web
In the web version of Google Photos, you can follow the direct link photos.google.com/large to see only the heaviest photos and videos. This will speed up the search for files that take up the most space.
After deleting on the web, the changes will instantly be reflected on your phone if it is connected to the Internet. Synchronization occurs in the background, so you can see how files disappear from the smartphone gallery in real time.
Features of deletion in Samsung Cloud and other shells
Smartphone owners Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei may encounter additional cloud services. For example, Samsung Cloud often duplicates the gallery, and deleting a video there may not affect Google Photos, but will clear the manufacturer's backup.
In your phone settings, find the "Accounts and Archiving" or "Cloud" section. There you can manage synchronization separately for each service. Disabling synchronization before deleting files is a safe, but not always effective method, since files can remain “dead weight” in the cloud.
It is best to delete files directly through the manufacturer's gallery application, if it is integrated with the cloud. The system itself will tell you where a copy of the file is stored. Be careful with the "Clear similar" function, which can remove duplicate videos in both storages.
⚠️ Attention: The shell interfaces (One UI, MIUI, EMUI) are constantly updated. The location of menu items may vary. If you do not find the section you need, use the search in your phone settings.
Some manufacturers offer their own tariffs for cloud storage, which may be paid. Clearing the videos in their cloud may be necessary to avoid automatic charges for storage expansion. Always check your subscription status.
What to do if the video is not deleted
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the file cannot be deleted: the button is inactive or an error appears. This may be due to permissions, background processes, or synchronization issues.
Try the following steps to resolve the issue:
- 📶 Check your Internet connection: without a network, file status may not be updated.
- 🔄 Clear the Google Photos or Drive app cache in your phone settings.
- 🔐 Make sure you are logged into the account that owns the video.
If the file gets stuck during the download process, try turning airplane mode on and off. This will restart the network modules and may unblock the synchronization process, after which deletion will become possible.
If the file is not deleted due to a synchronization error, temporarily disabling the Internet and clearing the application cache often solves the problem.
As a last resort, you can try deleting the video through a browser in Incognito mode or from another device. This will help you understand whether the problem is in a specific phone or in the file on the server itself.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will the video be deleted from the phone if I delete it from the cloud?
Yes, if synchronization is enabled. Deleting in the cloud (Google Photos/Drive) deletes the file on all associated devices. To save a video on your phone, first copy it to a folder that is not involved in synchronization, or disable auto-upload for this folder.
Is it possible to restore a video after emptying the recycle bin in the cloud?
Officially, no. After emptying the Recycle Bin, the files are permanently deleted. In rare cases, Google technical support may be able to help within a very short time after deletion, but there are no guarantees. Always back up to your hard drive.
Do deleted videos take up space in Google storage?
As long as the file is in the Recycle Bin, it continues to take up space in your quota (15 GB free). The space will be freed only after you manually empty the trash or the automatic storage period (30-60 days) has passed.
How to delete a video from the cloud, but leave it on the phone?
In Google Photos, this is difficult to do due to two-way synchronization. The easiest way is to disable synchronization for the video folder, copy the video to another folder (for example, through a file manager), and then delete the original from the synchronized folder.