Hey there! Today I want to talk about something that has been bothering me for a while – Google Photos backup. Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of having all my photos automatically backed up to the cloud, but sometimes it can become overwhelming, especially when I’m running out of storage space and my phone’s battery is draining faster than ever.
So, after some trial and error, I’ve found a few ways to stop Google Photos backup without completely disabling the feature. Let me walk you through the process.
Method 1: Disabling Backup for Specific Folders
If you’re like me, you probably have certain folders on your phone that you don’t want to back up to Google Photos. Maybe it’s that collection of funny memes or screenshots that you don’t really need to keep. Here’s how you can exclude those folders from being backed up:
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
- Tap on the three-line menu icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Select “Settings” from the menu.
- Tap on “Back up & sync”.
- Under “Back up device folders”, you’ll see a list of all the folders on your phone. Toggle off the switch next to the folders you don’t want to back up.
By following these steps, you can selectively choose which folders are backed up to Google Photos, saving you precious storage space and battery life.
Method 2: Pausing Backup Temporarily
Sometimes, you just need a break from automatic backups. Maybe you’re traveling and don’t want to use up your data or you simply want to conserve battery. In such cases, you can temporarily pause the backup process:
- Open the Google Photos app on your phone.
- Tap on the three-line menu icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Select “Settings” from the menu.
- Tap on “Back up & sync”.
- Toggle off the switch next to “Back up & sync”.
This will stop Google Photos from automatically backing up your new photos and videos until you toggle the switch back on.
Method 3: Clearing the App Cache
If you’re facing storage issues on your phone and Google Photos is consuming a significant amount of space, clearing the app cache can help free up some storage:
- Go to the “Settings” app on your phone.
- Select “Apps & notifications” or “Apps” (depending on your device).
- Find and tap on “Google Photos”.
- Select “Storage” or “Storage & cache” (depending on your device).
- Tap on “Clear cache” or “Clear storage” (this will clear the cache as well as any locally stored photos that haven’t been backed up yet).
This method can help alleviate storage issues caused by Google Photos, but please note that it will also remove any locally stored photos that haven’t been backed up yet. Make sure you have a backup of those photos before proceeding.
Conclusion
Google Photos backup is undoubtedly a useful feature, but sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. By using the methods outlined above, I’ve been able to gain more control over what gets backed up and when. Whether it’s excluding specific folders, pausing backup temporarily, or clearing the app cache, these techniques have helped me strike a balance between convenience and efficiency.
Remember, everyone’s needs are different, so feel free to experiment and find what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to customize the backup settings to suit your preferences and save valuable storage space on your phone.
Happy organizing!