OneDrive File Issues

How to Remove OneDrive Files from Samsung Phone Without Deleting Online

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to delete local media files from their Samsung phone to free up storage space without losing the backed-up copies on OneDrive.

How to Remove OneDrive Files from a Samsung Phone Without Deleting Them Online

Product: OneDrive
Device & OS: Samsung Galaxy A12 (Android)
Scenario: Attempting to free up mobile storage space by deleting local photos and videos that have already been uploaded to OneDrive.
Observed behavior: Deleting the local files from the Samsung phone automatically deletes the synchronized copies stored in OneDrive.

Before you start

Verify that your files are fully uploaded to OneDrive by logging into the OneDrive web version on a browser before making any changes to your sync settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Disconnect Samsung Gallery Sync from OneDrive

Unlinking your Samsung Gallery from OneDrive ensures that deleting a local photo on your phone does not trigger a synchronized deletion in your cloud storage.

Samsung devices feature a deep integration with Microsoft OneDrive. When Gallery Sync is enabled, your phone's gallery and OneDrive act as a mirror of each other. To safely delete local files without affecting the cloud, you must break this synchronized connection.

Open Samsung Settings

Go to your Samsung phone's Settings app and tap on your Samsung account name at the top of the screen.

Navigate to Linked Accounts

Select 'Linked accounts' to view the services currently connected to your Samsung profile.

Unlink Microsoft Account

Find the Microsoft account connected to OneDrive, tap it, and select 'Unlink'. Confirm the action to stop the two-way synchronization.

Delete Local Files Safely

Open your Samsung Gallery app and delete the photos and videos you no longer need locally. They will now remain safely in your OneDrive cloud.

Disconnect Samsung Gallery Sync from OneDrive

Alternative Method: You can also disconnect this feature directly from the Samsung Gallery app by tapping the menu (three lines), selecting 'Settings', tapping 'Sync with OneDrive', and choosing to disconnect the account.

Solution 2

Use the Native 'Free Up Space' Feature in OneDrive

If you want to keep Samsung Gallery synced but still need to recover phone storage, use the built-in space-clearing tool inside the OneDrive app.

Solution 3

Restore Accidentally Deleted Files from OneDrive

If you have already deleted local files and noticed they disappeared from OneDrive, you can recover them from the cloud's Recycle Bin.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does deleting a photo on my Samsung Gallery delete it from OneDrive?

Samsung devices feature a two-way synchronization integration with OneDrive called Gallery Sync. When enabled, any action you take in the Samsung Gallery (like editing or deleting a photo) is immediately mirrored in OneDrive to keep both platforms identical.

Can I reconnect my Samsung Gallery to OneDrive after freeing up space?

Yes, you can re-enable the synchronization at any time. Open your Samsung Gallery app, tap the menu (three lines), go to Settings, and select 'Sync with OneDrive' to link your Microsoft account again.

Are deleted OneDrive files gone forever?

No. When a synchronized file is deleted, it is moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin. It will stay there for 30 days (for personal accounts) before being permanently deleted, giving you time to restore it if it was removed by mistake.

Document & File Issues