Q&A: Digital Pictures & Storage

Over the last few years of teaching tech classes to adults, I have had some of the same questions come up over and over again regarding storage as it relates to digital pictures on your phone. You may already know the answers to these questions, but if not I hope this week's Tuesday Tip clarifies any confusion!

• If I put a picture in an album, can I delete it from my photostream?

• No
• If you delete a picture from ANYWHERE in Apple or Google Photos, you delete it from EVERYWHERE! 
• Some people want to clean up their pictures and think that by putting photos in albums, they can then go back and get rid of them in their photostream so it looks nice and tidy. However, each digital photo has ONE specific link so by deleting that picture anywhere you are deleting it from everywhere. 

• Take a random picture wherever you are right now.
• Add that picture to an album you have already created
• Go back to your "Library," or photo stream and delete that photo
• Open the album and you will see that photo is no longer there

• If I have pictures in multiple places/albums, am I doubling my storage? 

• No
• Each digital picture has a specific link so if you have that same picture in multiple places you are just providing multiple ways to access that ONE link. 
• You can have a single picture in two, five or even ten different albums and it is still only taking up the storage of one photo. 

• If I delete an album, am I deleting all of the pictures in that album?

• No
• Sometimes I create temporary albums for a project such as a birthday card, graduation collage or Christmas calendar. I need the pictures organized in one, easy-to-access place for a time. However, once the project is complete I can delete the album, removing the way those pictures are organized but they can still be viewed in my photostream. 

If you have any other questions related to pictures, digital or otherwise, please feel free to email me and I'd love to add them as a future Tuesday Tip! If you are confused, chances are so is everyone else! 

All the best, 
Melissa