To cancel your Google Photos subscription, you are actually canceling your Google One membership, because Google Photos storage is part of Google One. This guide shows you exactly how to stop recurring charges on Android, iPhone, or computer, and explains what happens to your photos after you cancel.
Before you cancel your Google Photos subscription
Your "Google Photos subscription" is a Google One membership that provides additional storage. When you cancel, your storage and benefits remain active until the end of your current billing cycle. After that, your account reverts to the default 15 GB of free storage shared across Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. Your existing photos and data will not be deleted immediately. However, if your account stays over the free storage limit for two years or longer, Google reserves the right to delete content from your account, including Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive files. Google will send notifications via email and within Google products at least three months before content is eligible for deletion. In most countries, storage plan purchases are non-refundable, meaning you keep the storage for the billing cycle even if you cancel. For purchases through the Google Play Store, refer to Play refund policies; for Apple App Store purchases, request refunds from Apple. In some regions, like the European Economic Area or Israel, you may cancel immediately and receive a partial, pro-rated refund. If you need to manage a different recurring service, you can similarly cancel a Kahoot subscription to stop future charges before the next billing date.
How to cancel Google Photos on Android
- Open the Google One app on your Android phone or tablet.
- Tap Menu (three lines) at the top, then tap Settings.
- Tap "Cancel membership".
- To confirm, tap "Cancel membership" again.
Your membership will remain active until the end of your current billing cycle.
How to cancel Google Photos on iPhone or iPad
If you subscribed through the Apple App Store, you must cancel there.
- Open the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top, then tap "Subscriptions".
- Select "Google One" from the list.
- Tap "Cancel Subscription".
Confirm the cancellation. Your benefits continue until the billing period ends.
How to cancel Google Photos on a computer
- Go to one.google.com in your browser.
- Click "Settings" in the menu.
- Click "Cancel membership".
- Confirm by clicking "Cancel membership" again.
Alternatively, go to www.google.com/settings/storage and click "Cancel plan" under your current plan. Your storage remains active through the billing cycle.
What happens to your photos after you cancel
After cancellation, your existing photos remain accessible. However, once your storage reverts to 15 GB, exceeding that limit blocks new uploads to Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. If your account remains over quota for two years or longer, Google may delete your content, including Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive files. You will receive at least three months' notice via email and in-product warnings before any deletion occurs.
Download your photos before canceling
If you are concerned about exceeding the 15 GB free storage limit, it is recommended to download your data using Google Takeout before canceling. This is especially important if you want to organize Google photos after downloading them. You can also download all photos from Google photos at once to PC using Takeout, which creates a complete archive. If you need to free up space before canceling, you can mass delete photos on Google photos to stay under the free limit. For long-term storage, you may want to transfer Google photos to external hard drive using the downloaded files. Takeout gives you full control over your data before any storage limits take effect.
