Is it possible to delete a photo or an album created via Google Photos API?

Question

There does not seem to be any way of removing created photos or albums even when full access is grated to the program.

Delete support is vital for the Photos API to be complete. Lack of delete functionality really limits the usefulness of the API. It's no good to be able to create things but ask the user to delete them manually.

Am I overlooking something and there is a way to remove pictures and albums?

Thank you!

Fincher

Answer 1

The Google Photos Library API does not currently have an option to delete an album or a media item from the library.

There's a feature request on the issue tracker here: https://issuetracker.google.com/109759781

(You can 'star' this issue to draw attention to it and be notified of any updates.)

Babel

it's unbelievable that almost every day I find something simple like this that Google can't do! – Temper

They can't do it on purpose. – Mod

Answer 2

Not only you cannot remove the whole album, you cannot remove the photos themselves. Yes, you can only remove them from a particular album, but they still be stored in google photos.

Hulking

Thanks for looking into this for me. I am not sure, but I do not think that removing the mediaItem is the same as removing the picture. I think one can only remove the mediaItem from the album, but from what I understand, the actual picture is not removed from google photos. Only the fact that this picture belongs to the album and only if you added that picture to the album from using the API. Unfortunately this is not sufficient for any cleanup operation. Finally, I do not think you can remove the album at all. – Fincher

Yes surely if we remove the photos from the album which we have made up through the Library API and it cleanup the photos from google photos album but they are not providing things for removing whole album at once. Thank You. – Hulking

Not only you cannot remove the whole album, you cannot remove the photos themselves. Yes, you can only remove them from a particular album, but they still be stored in google photos. – Fincher