Beware before you click the “Save” button on your Google Photos.

Ok, I did some experiments around large video files and Google Photos and Family sharing.

Before we start this experiment, let me tell you the initial state.

We have 3 people (me, wife, and kid). We have 100 GB.

So, right now, it shows — Total Approx 74GB used

Upload 2.4 GB Video file

Now, Let me upload a 2.4 GB video file. It's a 4K video and just 4 minutes long.

Tip — don’t use 4K on your iPhone. we have money to buy iPhone but not space.

So, we see, the file size is increased from 74 GB to 76.4 GB.

Share this video to “Yug” using Album

now, I shared this video to Yug using a Shared Album.

We still see the total size consumed by 76.3 GB

Here comes the big Mistake

Yug clicked the SAVE button

After clicking the SAVE button, the video appears in the timeline too. Before that, the Kid needs to click on the “Sharing” button and go to the shared album.

But look at the space.

78.6 GB

so the same file is consuming 2 times your space.

this is the problem where if we click “save” the “shared album”, it actually consumes 2 times space.

Let's clear space.

Step1 — I go to the “Photos” app and Click on Delete.

But, it won’t affect anything.

Step 2 — Go to the “Google Photos” app and Delete the 2.4GB video.

Removed.

Lets check the space.

So, the video is removed from my Google Photos but because Kid saved the video, it is still comsuming the space.

Delete that Video from Google Photos from Kid Laptop

So, I went to Kid’s account and delete the video from his Google Photos too.

Lets see the space.

So, we are back to original space.

Now, there are few questions.

Q1 — how to find photos and videos, which are taking 2 times space because kid or other family members clicked on “Save” button earlier. they all merged in the main time-line.

Will add more on this blog about my finding.