I just found a hidden Google Photos tool that clears storage in seconds - how it works

## Summary
Tech Home Tech Photo & Video I just found a hidden Google Photos tool that clears storage in seconds - how it works Google Photos now lets you swipe left and right to keep or delete photos and clear up space, though it's Android-only. ZDNET's key takeaways Google Photos has a tool called "Clean up this day." It gives you a Tinder-style, swipe left/swipe right interface to keep or delete photos. Also: This simple trick helps me tame my chaotic camera roll in just a few minutes About a month ago, I was scrolling through Google Photos trying to clean up past photo excursions when I noticed this new little icon in the upper left corner that said "Clean up this day." I was curious, so I tapped it. I was then shown a simple interface that allows me to swipe left to delete a photo or swipe right to keep it.

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I just found a hidden Google Photos tool that clears storage in seconds - how it works
Google Photos now lets you swipe left and right to keep or delete photos and clear up space, though it's Android-only.
Written by
Adam Doud,
Contributing Writer
Contributing Writer
April 8, 2026 at 5:24 a.m. PT
Reviewed by
Elyse Betters Picaro
Adam Doud / ZDNET
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ZDNET's key takeaways
Google Photos has a tool called "Clean up this day."
It gives you a Tinder-style, swipe left/swipe right interface to keep or delete photos.
It could be a huge time saver for people organizing their digital photos.
As a journalist who takes thousands of photos every year, my
Google Photos
storage is a bit of a dumpster fire. Intermixed with family outings and scenic outlooks are 30 or so pictures of my local village hall at night, as that's where I go to take sample photos.
You may not have that exact problem, but even when I'm not working -- which is hardly ever -- I still take more photos than I need to capture a moment. They're digital photos, so it's not like you're wasting film. But on Google Photos, you are wasting space.
Also:
This simple trick helps me tame my chaotic camera roll in just a few minutes
About a month ago, I was scrolling through Google Photos trying to clean up past photo excursions when I noticed this new little icon in the upper left corner that said "Clean up this day." I was curious, so I tapped it.
I was then shown a simple interface that allows me to swipe left to delete a photo or swipe right to keep it. Basically, it's Tinder for Google Photos, or at least that's what I'm told; I was married for 10 years by the time Tinder came out. This vastly simplifies the experience of cleaning up your photos, and I am absolutely here for it.
Google's been building it for a while
This is a feature that has been in active development since fall 2025.
Android Authority
originally tracked the APK update in September. Personally, I just discovered it in March while I was sitting on a plane.
Also:
10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks - including a new AI editor
I believe my exact words were, "Holy cow!" This is a legit time saver for me, though it's important to note this is on mobile only and only on Android. iPhone users will miss out on this feature.
Screenshot of Google's clean up this day feature in action.
Adam Doud/ZDNet
How to trigger 'clean up this day'
At the moment, it's not clear what triggers the "clean up this day" floating button. I have multiple days where I took multiple photos. Sometimes the button shows up; sometimes it doesn't. It looks like there's a certain threshold of photos that need to have been taken on a given day to trigger it. The fewest number of photos I had in a day where the prompt appeared was 10.
Of course, this is Google we're talking about, so it may yet change.
Also:
Your Pixel phone hides a free Google Photos AI tool that's pure magic - how it works
Don't worry if you accidentally swipe the wrong way. Once you're done swiping left and right, you can then review your photos and delete your selected photos, which is a good backup for accidental swipes. Once you have reviewed and deleted your photos, there's still hope because Google Photos holds your items in the trash for 30-60 days as well.
Hopefully, by the time you realize your mistake, you can at least recover your photos from there.
All told, this is an awesome tool that I am absolutely in love with. It's not terribly hard to tap and hold a photo to make multiple selections. The superpower here is being able to see a (mostly) full-screen view of the photo in question so you don't have to squint to see what's going on there. Plus, being able to swipe through so quickly is a game changer.
It's another great way to keep your digital life organized and cleaner.
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Also: 10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks - including a new AI editor I believe my exact words were, "Holy cow!" This is a legit time saver for me, though it's important to note this is on mobile only and only on Android. iPhone users will miss out on this feature.

### Areas for Consideration
- You may not have that exact problem, but even when I'm not working -- which is hardly ever -- I still take more photos than I need to capture a moment.

### Implications
- It could be a huge time saver for people organizing their digital photos.
- You may not have that exact problem, but even when I'm not working -- which is hardly ever -- I still take more photos than I need to capture a moment.
- Also: 10 must-try Google Photos tips and tricks - including a new AI editor I believe my exact words were, "Holy cow!" This is a legit time saver for me, though it's important to note this is on mobile only and only on Android. iPhone users will miss out on this feature.
- Of course, this is Google we're talking about, so it may yet change.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers photos, google, swipe topics. Notable strengths include discussion of photos. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 892.