Several years ago, in helping clients recover Google storage space, I learned of a way to delete Google Photos en masse. For some, there was an underlying issue where after installing the associated iPhone app, the entirety of one’s Photos library would get uploaded to Google.
As a result, a number of folks unexpectedly filled up their Google storage and were forced to buy more, assuming they needed it and lacking an easy way to clean up the clutter. As they already had their photos stored in and synced via iCloud, using Google for the same library was entirely unnecessary.
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide a native solution to delete lots of photos and doing so manually can take hours.
At the time, my Google fu led me to this script that I could run on a client’s computer. After zooming out of the Google Photos webpage, running the script selects and deletes all visible photos on the screen. The process is still tedious, but as long as the tab remains open, it can continue on its own in the background.
Because of the complexity of the operation, this has been only a full-service offering. However, I recently learned of an easier approach: a browser extension that can handle deleting all photos at once.
Delete All Google Photos
Ready to clear your Google Photos store? Download this extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Then, simply visit your library (or any specific album therein) and click the extension.
Deletions are limited to 500 per day for free. To remove the restriction, there is a nominal upgrade fee.
Don’t know whether you’ve filled your Google storage with photos? You can check at Google One. If you’re paying anything for Google storage, it’s because you’re using more than the 15GB you get for free.
And, if you’re squeamish about handling this process on your own, feel free to reach out and I’m happy to hold your hand or handle it for you.
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