Google Photos is a great app for backing up and organizing your pictures and videos. However, many users prefer not to upload their private photos to Google’s cloud for privacy or storage reasons. If your iPhone is automatically uploading images to Google Photos, it means the “Backup” feature is turned on in the app.
This article will guide you step-by-step on how to stop Google Photos from automatically uploading your iPhone’s photos and videos.

? Step 1: Turn Off Backup in Google Photos App

1. Open the Google Photos app on your iPhone.

2. Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.

3. Select “Photos settings.”

4. Tap “Backup.”

5. Turn off the toggle switch next to “Backup.”

✅ Once you disable this, Google Photos will stop uploading any new photos or videos from your iPhone to your Google account.

? Step 2: Remove Access to Your iPhone Photos

To make sure Google Photos cannot even access your camera roll:

1. Open your iPhone Settings.

2. Scroll down and tap Google Photos.

3. Tap Photos.

4. Select “None” or “Selected Photos.”

✅ This prevents the app from viewing or uploading your pictures altogether.

? Step 3: Stop Background Uploading

Google Photos may continue uploading in the background unless you disable this feature:

1. Go to Settings → General → Background App Refresh.

2. Locate Google Photos and toggle it off.

✅ Now the app will not upload photos when you’re not actively using it.

? Step 4: Sign Out or Delete Google Photos App

If you don’t plan to use the app at all:

1. Open the Google Photos app.

2. Tap your profile picture → Account name.

3. Choose “Use without an account” or Sign out.

4. Alternatively, delete the app from your iPhone.

✅ This ensures complete disconnection between your iPhone and Google Photos.

? Step 5: (Optional) Delete Already Uploaded Photos

Turning off backup doesn’t remove what’s already stored on Google Photos.
To delete previously uploaded content:

1. Visit photos.google.com on your browser.

2. Log in with your Google account.

3. Select the photos you want to delete.

4. Click the trash bin icon to move them to Trash.

⚠️ Note: Deleted photos stay in Trash for 60 days before being permanently removed.

? Privacy Tip

If you value privacy, regularly check your Google account’s “Activity Controls” and “Photos Backup” status.
Disabling cloud uploads can prevent unintended sharing of personal images.

✅ Conclusion

Stopping your iPhone from uploading to Google Photos is simple.
By turning off backup, removing photo access, and disabling background refresh, you can keep your pictures safe and local to your device.
You can always re-enable these settings later if you want to back up specific photos to the cloud.