Google has added a useful new backup management feature to its Photos app for Android smartphones and tablets, but it’s one that iOS users have had access to for some time.
iPhone and iPad users have been able to ‘Undo device backup’ since early December, but the feature is now finally making its way over to Android.
Google’s Photos Team recently posted an announcement to the Google support page, revealing that Android users now have more control over their backed up photos and video.
The feature effectively removes all of the photos and videos that are stored on Google Photos without also removing them from your phone or tablet. Here’s how it works.
How Google Photos ‘Undo backup’ feature works
Simply head into the Google Photos app, tap your profile picture, then head into Photos settings > Backup.
Scroll down to the bottom and tap Undo backup for this device, then check the disclaimer box at the bottom of the screen.
Finally, tap Delete Google Photos backup. Your photos and videos should now be deleted from the cloud whilst remaining on your device.
It’s important to note that when you instigate this undo feature, Google Photos will be disabled for that device. You’ll need to turn it back on if you want to resume sending that device’s pictures and videos to the cloud.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Undo backup feature availability
We checked on our Google Pixel 9 Pro from here in the UK, and sure enough the Undo feature presented itself.
It’s worth mentioning that we also checked on a couple of other Android devices that hadn’t yet been set up to back up their photos to Google Photos, including a fully up to date Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The option wasn’t even there as a greyed out placeholder.
In other words, this new Google Photos ‘Undo device backup’ option only presents itself when your device actually has something in the cloud to manage.
It remains a mystery as to why iPhone users got preferential treatment here. This is a Google app we’re talking about after all, and Android can typically expect to get first dibs on useful new Google Photos features.