If your App State email is set as your cell phone’s primary backup email in Google Photos, replace your App State address with a personal email.

Changing the primary email associated with the Google Photos App on an Android Phone

If you are signed into your App State email on your phone and downloading the Google Photos app for the first time, it will prompt you to set backup settings. Click the option Do not back up.
Selecting do not backup settings in Google Photos App.

Check to see if your phone is set to back up photos to your App State account. 

  1. Open the Google Photos App on your phone.
    Opening Google Photos on your device.


  2. Tap your profile icon at the top right of the screen.
    Opening your profile and settings by tapping on the profile icon.

  3. Make sure Backup is turned off for your appstate.edu account.
    Checking that the backup syncing options are turned off.

If Backup is Turned On

Turn off backup to remove App State as your primary Google Photos account email.

  1. Tap the Backup Complete message in your Photos app profile.
    Turning off backup syncing by clicking the backup complete message.

  2. Click the gear icon in the top right corner.
    Opening the backup setting by clicking the gear icon from the backup menu.

  3. Toggle the Backup sync off.
    Toggling the backup settings to off.

Once backup has been turned off in your App State account you can switch Photos to a personal Google account to use as a primary Backup email.


  1. Click the profile icon at the top of your Photos app on your phone.
    Opening your Profile to switch accounts after backup has been turned off for App State account.

  2. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of your appstate.edu account name.
    Switching to a personal account by clicking the account list drop-down arrow.

  3.  Select a personal account to use as your primary backup.
    Selecting a personal account to use as your primary backup.
    You can now turn Backup on to use with this account. 

Transferring, Exporting, and Deleting Photos

Easily transfer photos from your App State Google Account to a personal Google account using Partner Share.

  1. After signing into your App State account, navigate to photos.google.com, and click the gear icon at the top right to open settings.
    Clicking the gear icon in Google Photos to open settings.

  2. Click on Partner Sharing.
    Selecting partner sharing.

  3. In the Choose starting date drop-down, make sure the Only show photos since this day option is turned Off, under Choose photos to include, make sure the All photos option is selected to ensure you are transferring all the photos from your App State account, then click Next.
    Sharing photos with a specific user.

  4. In the search bar, type in the username or email of your personal account, then click Next
    Entering a Gmail user's email to share.

  5. Confirm that you are sending an invitation to access All of your photos, then click Send Invitation.
    Confirm the share user.

  6. Sign in to your personal Gmail account and open the email from Google Photos that says “...start Partner Sharing”.
    Accepting the invitation sent to the personal Gmail.

  7. In the email, confirm that the partner share is being sent from your App State Google account and click View Invite.
    Opening the invite in Gmail.

  8. Click Accept.
    Accepting the invite to partner share.


  9. When asked if you want to share back, click Not now.
    To whether to share back.

  10. At the top of your Partner Share homepage, click Turn on auto save.
    Turning on auto save.

  11. Under Choose what to auto-save, enable the option to Save all photos then click Done.

    This step is important!

    Selecting this option will allow you to keep photos and videos in your personal account after they have been deleted from your App State account. You must also have enough storage space in your Personal account before these photos and videos can be auto-saved.

    Using auto save to save all shared photos to your Google Photos.

  12. Once you have finished setting up Partner Share, you can sign back into your App State account and delete the photos and videos saved in Photos.

    You can use partner sharing with one person at a time. To partner share with another account, or receive an invitation from a different person, you must stop sharing with your current partner. Partner share can be resumed with previous partners by starting a new partner share.

Google Takeout offers you a way to export a copy of your Google account data to use as a backup or to use with a service outside of Google. 

For detailed steps on how to use Takeout, see the Google Takeout Knowledge Base article.

  1. To delete photos from your App State account, navigate to photos.google.com and check the photos you want to delete.
    Deleting Photos in your Google Photos.

  2. Click the trash can icon at the top right of the page, then click the Move to Trash button.
    Clicking the Trash icon to send photos to your trash.

  3. Photos and videos will be automatically and permanently deleted after 60 days, but you can empty your trash before then by clicking the trash icon.
    Clicking the trash icon in the left sidebar menu.

  4. Then click the Empty Trash button.
    Permanently deleting all photos from your trash.