UW-Madison Google Workspace - Managing Google Photos
This document provides guidance on how to remove all files from the non-core Google Photos app for your UW-Madison Google Workspace account. Please note, reducing Google Photos usage to 0 GB is a requirement to receive a a quota increase.
What is Google Photos?
Google Photos is a non-core Google Workspace for Education app that provides a location to back up photos and videos via a computer or mobile device. It is not covered under the agreement between UW-Madison and Google. Support for non-core apps is limited and provided on a best-effort basis.
Access to this app is gradually being phased out for UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts. Actively shared and collaborative photos and videos can be uploaded to Google Drive, not the Google Photos app. If you need a location to backup or archive photos and videos, please consider using another storage provider.
How can I tell if my UW-Madison Google Workspace account is saving files in the Google Photos app?
You can view your account's storage usage here: https://drive.google.com/settings/storage.
The most common way individuals use this feature is by installing the Google Photos app on their mobile device and logging in with their UW-Madison Google Workspace account. The app will automatically backup photos and videos which consumes campus pooled storage.
How can I move or delete photos and videos from the Google Photos app?
Reminder: After deleting photos from the Google Photos app, please also empty the trash folder to reduce storage to 0 GB. Files in the trash folder still use storage. View the app's trash folder.
Below are optional steps:
What happens if I don't reduce my account's Google Photos usage to 0 GB?
One of the prerequisites for requesting a quota increase is to have 0 GB of Google Photos usage. Accounts that still have files in the Google Photos app may experience a delay in receiving a storage quota update.