How to Disable Instant Upload to Google Plus From Your Android or Iphone App?


One of the cool features of google plus mobile app is instant upload i.e upload the pictures or video as you shoot instantaneously to the google+ social network.

 As cool as it sounds, sometimes it is not welcomed by everyone. By default instant upload is turned on in your google+ mobile application. Now for example, let’s say you are using a limited data plan or have less battery, when you take a picture or a video, your google+ mobile app will immediately upload the media to your google plus account which might cause you run data overages or drain your battery.

If you are running into above constraints, the good news is, you can disable instant upload or configure to upload photo’s or video’s only when you are on a WiFi / mobile charging.

Step by step instructions to disable instant upload / configure settings

  • In you google+ application, go to Settings
  • Goto the bottom section where you’ll find Instant Upload (You can uncheck to disable instant upload altogether)
  • If you choose to use Instant Upload only through WiFi, click on the Settings option
  • Click on the Mobile Uploads settings and choose Photo’s and Video’s via Wi-Fi only
  • If you choose to save battery, Check the Battery uploads option (This will enable to upload photo’s, video’s only when charging)

This great feature will save you from losing that precious moment even if your phone is lost or misplaced.

Photos and videos instantly uploaded using this feature are available under Instant upload album on Google+ and are never shared (unless you choose to share).

81 Comments

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  1. Guest

    but how du you disable instant upload from your iphone? The iPhone-app doesnt have any settings where you can able or disable the instant upload-function!
    Please reply!

    • msangala kalufya

      Go to the main page of the iPhone G+ app and look at the bottom-right corner. There is a gear symbol. Click that and you’ll get to settings page. On that page there is ‘sign-out’, ‘messenger’, ‘Instant Upload’ and ‘Feedback’. Then choose ‘Instant Upload’ and click to get to Instant Upload setting page, Then just turn ‘OFF’. Good luck.

  2. Guest

    but how du you disable instant upload from your iphone? The iPhone-app doesnt have any settings where you can able or disable the instant upload-function!
    Please reply!

  3. Carlos

    I disagree that this si a cool feature as it decides on my privacy & my phone costs until I disable it or change its settings. It should be turned off by default.

      • Randy

        Although it does in fact ask you if you want to turn the feature on, it’s simply not understood just what “turning it on” means. Most people, me included, thought it merely meant activating or simply “using” Google Plus in a way that did NOT include arbitrarily uploading picture/video content every time I snapped a photo or shot video content. Simply stated, a feature this new *should* be asking users every time if they want their content to be viewed by the entire planet BEFORE doing so.

        I also said yes when it asked me if I wanted to turn it on. But I didn’t understand that’s what they meant by toggling this feature “on”. This should have been made more clear to people, as Google Plus is NOT a well known feature. Therefore, Google shouldn’t be doing this and then hiding behind some BS just because people said “yes” to some unknown feature. That’s just plain WRONG in my book, and apparently lots of other *books* as well, as many others have complained about this nonsense.

  4. guest

    this is the worst idea ever. im too busy but i would sue google for this.how idiotic i take photos at work which are supposed to be data protected and this stupid program uploads them and I get fired for revealing comapny secrets. who ever thought of this should be removed post haste. i deleted G+ just for this. too invasive.

  5. Pardalman

    Well, the “good” point is that they are upload to a private album so no one will be able to see them until you clic on “share picture” within your G+ profile.
    Said this. I also think it’s not a good idea, Google is as invasive as always, let’s remember Buzz and their problems with justice because of this…

  6. Oldfart

    I wouldn’t say this is invasive, I think it’s awesome for those that want to quickly back up photos they wanna keep. The reason I wouldn’t call it invasive is because you can turn it on or off, but it needs more options. I need an option that lets me choose what folder specifically to upload and not to upload, or individual photos to choose from in case I’m not yet sure if I want to upload and keep a certain photo. Decisions, Decisions… lol I personally think most people just get pissed off and blame Google for their inability to do some research or try to look for settings about the program instead of whining on an internet website like a bunch of babies, that’s just what I think.

  7. Jason Kendall

    Am I the only iPhone user who can’t find how to set the upload to only happen on wifi? The settings area described here don’t exist.

    • Willis1990

      I cant locate that feature on my iphone 3 either … it is such a great idea  (to only upload when using wifi) … I just have no idea how to do it …

  8. Hesham Elsaghir

    I agree with Carlos, this future should be turned off by default.  there are some photos I took that are personal, or of a documents that I would not want them to be online.  Eventhough that they are uploaded to private folder, you never know who would have access to them!

  9. Fuckoff

    Contrary to Google+ admin statements, there is no Google+ setting to choose from.As a result, this app was uninstalled from my Android phone due to privacy concerns….For the first time I ever though this, you suck google 🙁 

  10. /rage

    I understand it’s not on by default, and I understand it’s a private album, but most users of this app will generally bypass any of the introductory settings. You should manually have to go into the settings of Google+ and enable instant upload. I don’t want pictures of my nieces, cousins, etc… on the internet regardless of the album being private. WAY too invasive.

  11. tony baldwin

    Thank you.  I found just recently that G+ was doing this (auto-uploading photos), which I never requested or authorized.  I have now disabled it.
    I might just remove the app, really. I’m not using G+ much, preferring friendica and diaspora for social networking, and my own blogs for other publishing matters.

    By they way, why are you using apostrophes on photos and videos?  Plurals do not require an apostrophe.  Apostrophes are for contractions and possessives.

  12. Lmuelly

    This feature sucks! I discovered only by accident that it was uploading my pictures. Just another invasion of privacy. I should be presented as an option…. not default! Reminds me of  FB!

    • Rajit77

      Hi, 
      I am not able to figure out how to disable this app on my samsung galaxy s 2.  Could you explain it to me properly?

      Thanks.

      Raj

  13. Rkavarsky

    Just for the hell of it i googled my name and every pic i took came up under search results. Just make sure you have the stuf turned off that you dont want. I didnt even know it did this till i searched my name

    • Rajit

      Hi, I am not able to figure out how to disable this app on my samsung galaxy s 2.  Could you explain it to me properly?
      Thanks.
      Raj

  14. Natalie shafer

    I just discovered this feature and HATE IT … call me ignorant, but that is really a huge turn off that you would do this without users knowing.  I thought only Facebook is that shady.  NOT COOL G+!

  15. Eddie Potros

    This used to work great for me months ago but yesterday i installed it and checked UPLOAD ON WI-FI ONLY and today I wake up with over $50 of extra data charges!! Who do I contact from Google to have them pay for their stupid app not working right??

  16. Chrissy

    I also hate it!! I am not sure why it does this without your permission. I even disabled my instant upload yesterday and received a notification that it uploaded my videos and photos today. There needs to be some sort of opt in for this not just the opt out. Totally invasive! 

  17. Kovacs

    Its just not turning off for some reason and I can see the instant upload folder in the galary that means I can see my pics twice

  18. Gino

    They are crazy or what? i just have a notification telling my all photos was uploaded to Google+, I think my heart stopped when i saw the photos, what if you have like nude girl friend photo or other thing you never when to share?

      • Kuki Szabolcs

        But how about if Gino does not feel very confortable knowing that google engineers can see her girlfriend naked?

        • Case Pin

          Well, when you install the google+ app if you pay attention to the install wizard it asks if you want to enable instant upload. But lot of people just ignore and this gets enabled.

  19. Rajit77

    ya but my question is how to disable this function altogether. It eats my battery life and moreover the data too. Uploading pics and videos costs data charges.
    Thanks.

  20. Marie

    Mine did not ask me to enable it and I do not have the instant upload “settings” option to turn it off.. I had to uninstall it..

  21. Kc_exactly

    HEY YOU FUCKING DICKS!  I disabled the app and it still has pictures uploading.  FIX IT OR I WILL SUE YOUR ASS.  This is ridiculous.  I had some very sensitive material uploaded to my g+ account.  

  22. Michael Choi

    Who are the idiots at Google who thought this would be a good idea?  This shit is a huge annoyance and an invasion of privacy.  Get rid of it, dumbasses.

  23. Garn_25

    The people who designed this feature is not smart at all.  Its very pain in the ass to get rid of it.  I hate this feature.

  24. Crash

    Disabled the feature and it’s still uploading too, how crap!… can’t uninstall Google+ so disabled it in settings, see if that works…

  25. NoUploadPlease

    It STILL uploads my photoes even though the settings are so it shouldn’t! How do you expect to grow G+ if you invade my privacy this way?

  26. srisaas

    I moved from an iPhone to Android. Imagine my surprise when I find it has uploaded my photos (from CAM) to G+

    This is a desperate measure by Google to get content of their Social Network which No ONE uses!!

    Sad Google…. It is hard to believe that this is from a company that told us it would do NO EVIL!!

    PS – Dropbox does the same thing. WITH PERMISSION!

    • steph

      you have to log on to your gmail account and go to photos feature and then delete from the computer…..instant upload is annoying

  27. FranticTableSaucer

    Google, understand that although there’s nothing wrong with backing up photos to a private album, words cannot describe the initial shock that comes with opening Google+ and seeing all your photos there. It’s like, that was an excellent troll you developed.

  28. Kara Yip

    Please advise how to delete this app in my S3? Samsung hotline advised me to delete it from Google+, I did it yesterday but all old records remains unchanged keeping in my mobile. Please answer me as soon s possible. Many tks.

  29. Kara Yip

    Please advise how to delete this app in my S3? As instruction from Samsung hotline & I deleted the Google+ in my Gmail a/c yesterday. Unfortunately, the previous pictures & whole page “Instant Upload” still appears in my mobile, how can I delete this useless app? Please kindly answer me immediately here or leave your message in my Facebook. Many tks.

  30. Maria

    This feature is terrible because if you turn it off, it still uploads your pictures. It’s awful and don’t tell us that the photos go to a private album. Once they’re online, you at Google have control over them, so they’re not private anymore.

  31. Robert

    Complete lack of user care. Took me hours to find this feature. Google buries this intentionally so as to discourage users from disabling instant upload. I quit Facebook because of their constant intrusions into my privacy. Google you had better wake up because users will cast you off in you persist in this dodgy nonsense.

  32. Surfergal

    This has caused a MAJOR issue for me. My work email has Google + and my personal pictures from my phone downloaded “unknowingly” and I can’t get rid of them. My employer doesn’t tolerate personal pics on our work environment and now I can’t get rid of the pics without uploading them first to delete them – which I cannot do because then they end up on my work server if I upload to delete I believe! I believe they monitor it. I can’t even get rid of the “reminder to upload them with a few pictures showing on my Google+ account at work” and we use it for our business needs. I need a fix for this NOW. This is totally unacceptable and I think there is a legal issue here.
    If I go to my service provider and have them wipe/clear my phone, will that go make them away?

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