GOOGLE Photos has changed its trash retention policy. In the latest official guidance, items placed in the trash will remain there for 30 days before being permanently erased, after which they cannot be recovered via Google. This shortens the previous 60-day grace period for media that was backed up to Google Photos; items not backed up before deletion still faced the 30-day limit.
The practical effect is a significantly shorter window to recover accidentally deleted photos or videos, particularly for those already stored in the cloud.
The article notes that the change affects only the trash retention window and does not alter the underlying deletion mechanics across devices and the main library. If a device has backup enabled, deletions can cascade to remove content from synced devices, libraries, and albums, though separately stored copies in Google Drive, YouTube, or Gmail remain intact. It also suggests archiving as a safer interim option to hide items without triggering the 30-day trash deletion protocol.
The piece frames the storage-space angle as a benefit for Google’s infrastructure and, paradoxically, for users who do not rely on extended recovery options.