PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchIf screenshots are filling your Google Account, the precise fix is to stop backing up the Screenshots device folder—not to disable every photo backup. In Google Photos for Android, open Photos settings → Backup → Back up device folders, then switch off Screenshots. Your camera folder can keep backing up while screenshots stay on the phone only.
Google Photos backs up more than pictures taken with the camera. Screenshots, downloaded images and media created by messaging apps can all be selected as backup sources. Because Google Account storage is shared by Google Photos, Gmail and Google Drive, a large screenshot collection can contribute to a full account. Google currently provides 15 GB at no charge; when that space is exhausted, Google advises cleaning up storage or buying more.
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1. Turn off Screenshots folder backup
Android steps
- Open the Google Photos app.
- Tap your profile picture or initial, then open Photos settings.
- Tap Backup.
- Choose Back up device folders.
- Switch off Screenshots.
This folder-level control is the most targeted option. It prevents new screenshots in that device folder from uploading while leaving camera backup available. Menu names can vary slightly by Android phone maker and Google Photos version, so confirm that you are changing a setting under Photos settings → Backup, not deleting files.
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2. Disable backup for other app folders
Remain on Back up device folders and review every enabled folder. Turn off folders from WhatsApp, Google Chat, Downloads or other apps when their images do not need a cloud copy. Google Photos treats these as selectable backup sources, so each switch changes whether new files in that folder are uploaded.
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Use this list as a practical check:
- Messaging folders: disable automatically saved memes, forwarded pictures and transient media.
- Downloads: disable files saved from browsers or other apps that you can recreate.
- Work or social apps: disable folders containing duplicate exports or temporary images.
- Personal folders: leave enabled only when you want those files protected in Google Photos.
Folder switches control what is uploaded. They do not remove files already stored in your Google Photos library.
3. Turn off global Backup when nothing should upload
When this is the right choice
If you want Google Photos to upload nothing from this phone, switch off the main Backup control in Photos settings → Backup. This stops new uploads from all device folders, including the camera roll.
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- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Google’s Android guidance adds an important protection: after turning backup off, leave it off if you want to ensure a local copy is not deleted during device-management actions. Disabling backup is preventive; it does not automatically erase screenshots or other items already in the cloud. Decide separately whether to retain, download or delete those existing items.
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Choose a quality setting
| Control | Scope | Storage effect | Quality impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage saver | All eligible uploads | Usually uses less account storage | Lower-size copies; Google says it does not compress every file |
| Original quality | All eligible uploads | Uses more storage | Preserves full quality |
| Folder selection | Only selected device folders | Prevents excluded folders from adding new cloud files | No change to files that are backed up |
Open Photos settings → Backup → Backup quality and choose Storage saver if reduced storage use is worth the quality trade-off. This is not a screenshot filter: screenshots still upload when their folder is enabled. Existing items may require a separate Recover storage action; changing the quality setting alone does not necessarily convert everything already stored.
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- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Stop uploads over cellular data
In the Backup settings, turn off any option that allows backup over mobile data when you want uploads to wait for Wi-Fi. This protects your cellular allowance and controls when uploads occur, not which folders are eligible and not whether cloud copies are retained. A screenshot folder that remains enabled can still upload later over Wi-Fi.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do about screenshots already in Google Photos
Changing a switch affects future uploads. Screenshots already backed up remain in Google Photos until you manage them separately. Before deleting anything, check whether the files are needed on another device, download important copies, and verify which account and folders you are viewing. Deleting cloud items can have consequences for synchronized devices, so distinguish the Google Photos library from the local copy on your phone.
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A quick decision guide
- Keep camera backup, stop screenshots: disable only Screenshots under Back up device folders.
- Keep camera backup, reduce app clutter: disable selected WhatsApp, Google Chat, Downloads and other unwanted folders.
- Stop every new upload: turn off the global Backup switch and leave it off when protecting local copies matters.
- Use less storage without changing folders: select Storage saver, understanding that quality and existing-item handling differ.
- Save cellular data: disable mobile-data backup, while remembering that this does not exclude any folder.
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