As great as the camera of the Pixel 11 Pro or any other phone may be, you’ll inevitably want to delete some of the photos you’ve taken, which will take them to the Google Photos trash. If you end up second-guessing your choices, you’ll have some time to restore the deleted images, but be aware there’s a change to how that functions.
Google Photos now deletes trashed photos after only 30 days
Google has changed a key Google Photos feature and is now clearing items from the app’s Trash folder only 30 days after they’ve been initially deleted. This means users are getting a shorter window to decide whether they want to restore a deleted image or video that was sent to the trash.
The change was first noticed last month, but now Android Authority reports that Google published an update to the support docs for the Photos app. In the docs, the company warns that permanently deleted photos and videos cannot be restored.
Users are getting in-app notifications about the change. | Image by Android Authority
Before the recent change, deleted images and videos used to remain available in the trash folder of Google Photos for 60 days before vanishing forever. Now, the company has cut this time in half, without giving a specific reason for the change.
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One possible reason is that Google Photos used to remove automatically items that were never backed up to the cloud in 30 days. However, backed-up items remained for 60 days before getting permanently deleted. The change could be an effort to simplify its app and give a more consistent experience.
How long do you think Google Photo should keep things in the trash?
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It’s also possible that Google just wants to save on cloud storage costs. If that wasn’t the case, the streamlined period could’ve been 60 days for both backed-up and local items.
While this may feel like a downgrade for Google Photos users, the 30-day grace period is standard across operating systems. Apple also permanently deletes items from the Recently Deleted folder of the iOS Photos app after 30 days, even though they often remain available in iCloud a bit longer.
A good change
It may just be me, but every time I delete something, I just go to the trash folder and completely obliterate it right away. I’m glad I can revert any mistakes, but I definitely wouldn’t be mad if the grace period was even shorter than 30 days.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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