Google Photos

Google Photos can back up your phone's pictures and videos to your Google account and make them searchable by people, places and things. The same app has simple editing tools and shared albums.

What to understand

• Backup uses your Google storage, which is shared with Gmail and Drive. When it is full, new photos stop backing up.
• The "Free up space" option removes only the copies on your phone that are already backed up. Confirm that backup is complete first.
• A locked folder keeps private photos out of the main gallery.

Sharing safely

Shared albums can be opened by anyone with the link, so share only with people you know and remove the link when you are done. Our guide on freeing up storage explains the process in detail, and Snapseed is a good companion for editing.

In practice: Before using the free-up-space option, a user opens the backup status, waits until it shows that everything is backed up, and only then clears the phone copies.

What we think

Photos is a backup tool first and a gallery second. Check that backup is complete before you use any free-up-space option, because that deletes the copy on your phone. Shared album links can be opened by anyone with the link, so share only with people you know and remove links when done.

Backing up photos with Google Photos

• Open the backup status and wait until it says everything is backed up before using Free up space.
• Use Locked Folder for private photos, remembering that items in it are not backed up in the usual way.
• Check which Google account is selected for backup. Photos can end up in an old or shared account by mistake.
• Share albums with named people, and turn off the link when the event is over.

Where to go next

Edit with Snapseed. Tidy storage using our storage guide and Files by Google, and protect the account with two-step verification.

Before you install: common doubts

Is my backup safe if I lose my phone?

If backup finished, the photos are in your Google account. Keep the account protected.

Why did backup stop?

The usual reason is full storage or no Wi-Fi; check both in settings.