Google Drive Will Stop Automatic Photo Backups to Google Photos – Here’s What to do

Google is making an important change to how users back up photos from their computers. Starting August 10, 2026, the company will stop supporting automatic transfers between Google Drive desktop backups and Google Photos.

The change mainly affects people who use Google Drive to back up photo folders from their computers and expect those images to automatically appear in Google Photos.

How to Back up Photos After the Change

After August 10, users will need to set up backups directly through Google Photos on the web. Google provides a simple way to select folders and upload their contents automatically.

Users can follow these steps:

1. Open Google Photos on the web.
2. Click the + button in the top-right corner.
3. Select Back up folders.
4. Choose the folders they want to back up.
5. Give Google Photos the required permission by selecting Allow or Allow on every visit.

The backup process will run automatically, but there is an important limitation. Users must keep the Google Photos website or its dedicated web app open for the backup to continue.

Mac users also face another restriction. Google Photos cannot automatically back up the Apple Photos library directly. Users will first need to sync their photos through iCloud and then use the Google Photos app on an iPhone or iPad to save them to Google Photos.

Existing Photos will Not be Deleted

The change does not mean that Google will remove photos that users have already stored in Google Drive. Existing files will remain safe.

However, new photos added to a backed-up folder will no longer move automatically from Google Drive to Google Photos after the August 10 deadline.

This means users who are happy with Google Drive alone do not need to make any changes. Their photos can continue to remain in their Drive folders.

People who want to use both services, however, should review their backup settings. Keeping the same photo folders backed up to both Drive and Photos could create duplicate files and consume additional cloud storage.

This could eventually force some users to upgrade their Google One storage plans unnecessarily.

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How to Avoid Duplicate Backups

Users can stop backing up specific folders to Google Drive through the Drive desktop application.

To do this, open Drive for desktop, go to Settings, and select Preferences. Next, open Folders from your computer and choose the folder you no longer want to sync with Google Drive.

Uncheck Sync with Google Drive, then select Done and Save.

Google Photos also allows users to check how individual photos were uploaded. On the web version, users can select a photo and open the Info panel to view its upload details.

Who should Pay Attention?

The change will matter most to users who rely on desktop folders, dedicated cameras, or older photo libraries that are not already connected to Google Photos.

People who mainly take photos with Android or iPhone devices may notice less difference because their images are often already backed up through Google Photos or Apple Photos.

Still, cloud storage should not be the only backup method. Keeping another copy on an external hard drive or a separate cloud service can provide extra protection if something goes wrong with an account or online storage service.

For users who currently depend on the Google Drive-to-Photos workflow, August 10 is the key date to remember. Setting up direct Google Photos backups before then can help prevent interruptions.