Managing storage, esp play and photos

[erikdstock]

Recently switched to android from ios and love it. got a moto x. love photos' and music's no-muss no-fuss syncing but here are my questions:

-Some audio files from apps are appearing in my play music app. Specifically, are these audio files going to mess up my relatively clean music collection on play?

-photos and videos. they upload, but then what? Since my phone is always hovering around 2-3gb free (and i'd like to keep it that way), is it safe to just delete them from my phone? how do i know if they are also being deleted from my backups? And more specifically is it possible to set a limit on how much space can be taken by the cached backups? Is this what causes my unused google+ app to take up so much space?

-Is there any way to specifically designate a single photo to be backed up at full resolution?

 

[Medion]

-Some audio files from apps are appearing in my play music app. Specifically, are these audio files going to mess up my relatively clean music collection on play?

This is usually the fault of a lazy/incompetent app developer. Here's what you do.

1. Download and install ES File Explorer.
2. Navigate to any folder where the app stored media (except for /android/data or /android/obb).
3. Create a file, and name it ".NOMEDIA" without the quotes.
4. Trigger a media scan (reboot is the easiest guaranteed way).
5. Any extra media should stop showing up in your music/photos/videos apps.

photos and videos. they upload, but then what?

I'm assuming that you're using the "Photos" app that is a part of the Google+ package. Once Auto Upload is finished, the photo/video will reside in two places: on your device and in your Google+ Photos within an "Auto Backup" folder. You can't see the folder, but the photos/videos will show up under "All Photos."

ince my phone is always hovering around 2-3gb free (and i'd like to keep it that way), is it safe to just delete them from my phone? how do i know if they are also being deleted from my backups?

The mechanism for Google Photos isn't very intuitive. If you delete one, they both delete since they're linked. Instead, you want to go to the cloud version under "All Photos," and select "Copy to Album." Move it to an album/folder. After that, it's safe to delete the device/backup versions as a copy will remain in your specified album.

And more specifically is it possible to set a limit on how much space can be taken by the cached backups?

Google+ Photos is VERY frugal with caching. Using a 5GB collection, the most I've ever seen it cache was 550MB. It also cleared up automatically as needed.

Is this what causes my unused google+ app to take up so much space?

No, most of the space is taken up by Google+ itself. Here's how to temporarily clean it up and permanently reduce the waste.

1. Go to settings (system settings, not Google+ app settings), then scroll down to "Accounts" and click on your Google Account.
2. Uncheck the sync box next to Google+. This will prevent it from syncing in the background for an app that you don't use (Google Photos sync is for the Photos aspect, as well as Photos Auto Backup).
3. Next, go to Settings, then apps.
4. Look for the Google+ app and select it.
5. Select "Force Stop," followed by "clear data."
6. This will clear all data for both Google+ and Photos, but Photos will repopulate in time. If you did the first two steps, Google+ itself should stop loading data.

Is there any way to specifically designate a single photo to be backed up at full resolution?

It's a bit annoying, but yes. Try this.

1. Perform auto backup as usual. Then, move ALL backed up photos to another album.
2. Disable auto backup.
3. Delete all internal/backed up photos except the one(s) that you want at full resolution.
4. Go to settings and enable full resolution, then turn on auto backup (or do a manual backup).
5. The desired photos will backup at original resolution.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I was unclear or if you have any further issues.

 

[erikdstock]

So helpful. thanks!

 

[erikdstock]

Actually, I am a little confused now. As I understand what you said, any pictures I delete from my phone (from within any app? I use gallery most of the time since photos has a bug that makes the screen dim on the moto x) are also deleted from auto backup.

So essentially I need to go through my "all photos" periodically and move the keepers to other albums?

 

[Medion]

Actually, I am a little confused now. As I understand what you said, any pictures I delete from my phone (from within any app? I use gallery most of the time since photos has a bug that makes the screen dim on the moto x) are also deleted from auto backup.

So essentially I need to go through my "all photos" periodically and move the keepers to other albums?

Try it with a few test snapshots. The best way to learn is through experimentation.

 

[mikeca]

It's been my experience that they stay in google+ (picasa) all photos and you have to delete from both places but not sure if I had set it up that way of if it was some sort of a default (or if you even have a choice?).

As above, experimentation is the best way to check it out, try a few and see what happens.