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What Happens to Samsung Gallery Photos After Using OneDrive Free Up Space?
Question details
The user wants to understand the impact of the Free Up Space feature in OneDrive on photos and videos stored in the Samsung Gallery app.
- Product
- OneDrive
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Using the Free Up Space feature to optimize device storage while maintaining a connected Samsung Gallery.
- Observed behavior
- Photos and videos remain organized and visible as online-only files in the gallery, but users need clarity on how bidirectional synchronization processes deletions.
Verify that your Samsung Gallery has completely finished syncing with OneDrive by checking the sync status in the Gallery settings, and ensure you are connected to Wi-Fi to avoid cellular data charges when accessing online-only files later.
Understanding Samsung Gallery and OneDrive Bidirectional Sync
Learn how the Free Up Space feature safely removes local files while keeping them accessible via bidirectional cloud synchronization.
When your Samsung Gallery is connected to Microsoft OneDrive, the two platforms utilize bidirectional synchronization. This means that changes made on one platform are automatically reflected on the other. The 'Free Up Space' feature leverages this by removing the physical copies of media from your device to save storage, while leaving a synchronized thumbnail in your gallery.
Navigate to your OneDrive app settings and tap 'Free Up Space'. This action will scan for files that are already safely backed up to the cloud and remove their local device copies.
Open your Samsung Gallery. Your photos and videos will still appear perfectly organized. These are now 'online-only' files, represented by cloud icons or thumbnails.
Tap on any online-only photo or video in the Samsung Gallery. The file will temporarily download from OneDrive for high-resolution viewing, requiring an active internet connection.
Need a Better Way to Manage Your Documents and Cloud Storage?
While OneDrive handles your photos, managing bulky documents shouldn't consume your remaining device storage. WPS Office provides a free, lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office with its own integrated cloud solutions, making document management seamless and storage-efficient.
- 1. Download the App: Visit the official WPS website or your device's app store to download the free WPS Office application.
- 2. Sign In for Cloud Access: Launch the app and sign in to activate your free WPS Cloud storage for automatic document syncing.
- 3. Manage Files Efficiently: Open, edit, and save your Microsoft Office documents directly in the cloud to preserve your device storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Free Up Space feature permanently delete my photos?
No. The Free Up Space feature only removes the local copies of your photos and videos from your device's internal storage. The original, high-resolution files remain safely backed up in your OneDrive cloud account.
Can I view my online-only Samsung Gallery photos without internet?
No, online-only photos require an active internet connection to download and view the full-resolution image. Only a low-resolution thumbnail is stored locally. If you plan to be offline, you should download the required photos beforehand.
If I delete a photo in the OneDrive app, does it disappear from Samsung Gallery?
Yes. Because Samsung Gallery and OneDrive use bidirectional syncing, deleting a photo or video from your OneDrive account will automatically delete it from your Samsung Gallery as well.
How do I download an online-only photo back to my phone's local storage?
Simply open the Samsung Gallery app and view the photo while connected to the internet, then tap the download or save option in the menu to store the full-resolution file back onto your device's local storage.
