[Fixed] Some Google Photos users unable to delete photos on the web, issue escalated

Update 12/08/24: The issue has now been resolved.

Original article follows:

If you’ve been trying to delete photos from your Google Photos account through a web browser and found yourself hitting a digital brick wall, you’re not alone. In the past few days, a swarm of users has been frantically mashing the delete button, only to find their precious snaps stubbornly clinging to their digital albums. It’s like that one box of old photos in the attic you just can’t seem to part with, except this time, it’s not your fault.

Reports are flooding in primarily from frustrated Google Photos users on Chrome, Firefox and other browsers all facing the same eerie silence from their delete buttons. But this doesn’t mean smartphone users are spared. Whether it’s on a desktop, laptop, or mobile browser, the result is the same: nada, zilch, zip. Even after turning off backup and sync, and trying every browser trick in the book, those unwanted photos just won’t budge.

One user, armed with a Pixel 7a, thought they had cracked the code by attempting to delete from their laptop, only to be met with a resolute refusal from Google Photos. Another iPhone user, confident in their iCloud supremacy, tried to liberate their Google storage via PC, only to find the delete button mysteriously ineffective.

The issue isn’t just an annoyance; it’s causing some serious space management headaches. With Google storage maxed out, users are not only running out of room for new memories but also facing the potential doom of a clogged Gmail inbox. Desperate attempts to clear space have led to a collective cry for help across forums, with users lamenting their inability to free up much-needed digital real estate.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. The chorus of complaints has grown loud enough to catch Google’s ear. A product expert has escalated the issue for further investigation. So, while we don’t yet know if it’s a glitch, a bug, or just a particularly stubborn feature, rest assured that the wheels are in motion.

For now, we wait with bated breath for Google’s next move. Will the delete button be restored to its former glory, allowing Google Photos users to once again manage their photos with ease? Only time will tell. In the meantime, perhaps it’s a good moment to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane – those photos aren’t going anywhere, after all.

We’ll keep an eye on this developing story and update you as soon as we know more.