Google Photos is getting a smarter way of managing backups

Google Photos is getting a new feature called “Undo device backup.” In other words, you’ll now be able to more easily delete a backup from a specific device on Google’s cloud service without deleting it from the device itself.

Currently, deleting backed-up photos from your phone also removes them from your device’s storage. The alternative is a complicated process of turning off backup, then deleting specific content, and generally juggling settings to ensure your photos stay on your phone.

A new feature eliminates this hassle. With a few simple taps, you can remove all backed-up photos and videos from a specific device, leaving your local copies intact. This will be useful for those who have experienced accidental uploads of their entire photo gallery, as well as those who frequently change devices and want to clean up their cloud storage.

At the moment, the app update is only available for iOS users, while Android will arrive later.