Google Photos

Google Photos is the backup and gallery app used on a vast number of Android phones, with more than ten billion installs on Google Play. Its latest update focuses on a common frustration: running out of cloud storage. A new storage management tool helps you find the photos and videos that count toward your quota and are good candidates for deletion.

The tool makes more sense once you know how the shared storage quota works. It also affects how backup and freeing up space interact, and it sits alongside privacy and editing features such as the Locked Folder and Magic Eraser. The version number on Google Play varies by device, and new features often reach accounts gradually, so the tool may appear on one phone before another even with the same app installed.

The build with the storage cleanup tool

• Updated: September 22, 2026
• Version: varies with device
• Requires Android: varies with device
• Developer: Google LLC
• Installs: 10,000,000,000+

Google Play data as of September 26, 2026

The new storage management tool

According to the release notes, the tool surfaces photos or videos you might want to delete, such as blurry photos, screenshots, and large videos. Instead of scrolling through years of pictures, you get a shortlist to review. Nothing should be removed without your confirmation, so take a moment to check each group before deleting.

Large videos are often the quickest win, since a few long clips can use as much space as thousands of photos. Screenshots are another easy category, since many are only needed for a short time. Remember that deleting from Google Photos with backup on generally removes the item from your synced devices too, and deleted items go to the trash before they are permanently removed.

How the 15 GB of storage is shared

Every Google Account gets up to 15 GB of storage, and the listing notes that this space is shared across Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. In some countries, accounts start with 5 GB and can unlock an additional 10 GB by adding a phone number. If Gmail attachments or Drive files are large, your photo space shrinks accordingly.

Google sells additional storage through Google One plans for people who need more. Before paying, it is worth running the new cleanup tool and checking your Drive and Gmail usage, since that may free enough space on its own. Emptying the Google Photos trash and deleting old emails with large attachments are two of the quickest ways to recover space across the whole account.

Backup, freeing up space, and the Locked Folder

With backup on, Google Photos copies your pictures to the cloud and can pull in photos from other apps, galleries, and devices. Once items are backed up, the free up space option removes the device copies with a single tap, which helps phones with limited internal storage. Confirm backup has finished before using it, especially on a slow connection.

For sensitive images, the Locked Folder keeps selected photos and videos behind your device screen lock and separate from the main gallery. It is a practical place for photos of documents or anything you would rather not show when handing someone your phone. Items in the Locked Folder do not appear in the main photo grid, in search results, or in albums, so they stay out of view during everyday browsing.

Editing, search, and printing

The editor includes AI-powered tools such as Magic Eraser for removing distractions, Unblur for out-of-focus photos, and Portrait Light for adjusting lighting. Search understands natural descriptions, so a phrase describing a place or activity can find a photo without any manual tagging. Photo stacks group duplicates and similar shots automatically to reduce clutter.

You can also order photo books, prints, and canvas wall art from the app. Prices vary by product, and printing services are offered only in the US, EU, UK, and Canada. Sharing does not require the other person to use Google Photos, since photos, videos, and albums can be sent to any of your contacts. Google Lens is built in as well, so you can identify text and objects in a saved picture and act on them.

What Google Photos looks like

Cleanup tool, 15 GB quota and freeing space

Which photos does the new storage tool suggest deleting?

Blurry photos, screenshots and large videos, among others. The tool surfaces them so you can manage what counts toward your storage quota.

How much free storage does a Google Account get?

Every Google Account includes up to 15 GB, shared across Photos, Gmail and Drive. In some countries accounts get 5 GB, with 10 GB more after adding a phone number.

Does free up space delete my backed-up photos?

No. It deletes only the phone copies of items that are already backed up. The backed-up versions stay in Google Photos.