Starting August 10, 2026, Google Drive for desktop no longer supports backing up photos and videos from computer folders directly to Google Photos. Users who previously relied on this feature must now use Google Photos’ own “Back up folders” option or upload their files manually. 

What exactly has changed?

Previously, Drive for desktop allowed users to select folders stored on a Windows PC or Mac and enable “Back up to Google Photos.” Photos and videos in those folders could then be automatically uploaded to Google Photos.

Google began phasing out the feature in 2026:

• June 15, 2026: Users could no longer configure new Google Photos backup folders through Drive for desktop.
• Existing folder configurations continued to work temporarily.
• August 10, 2026: Drive for desktop officially ended support for Google Photos backup.

So, as of August 11, 2026, users should no longer depend on Drive for desktop to send new photos and videos to Google Photos.

Are existing Google Photos backups safe?

Yes. Photos and videos that were already backed up to Google Photos are not being deleted because of this change. They remain in the user’s Google Photos library. The change affects future backup activity through Drive for desktop, not previously uploaded content.

There is also an important distinction:

Turning off or ending a folder backup does not remove the photos already stored in Google Photos.

Google says existing backed-up photos remain in Google Photos unless the user separately deletes them.

What happens to photos still stored on a computer?

This is the important part. If a user has photos in a computer folder that have not yet been uploaded to Google Photos, Drive for desktop can no longer be relied upon to automatically back them up. Those users need to move the backup process to Google Photos.

How to continue backing up computer folders

Google now provides a Back up folders feature directly through Google Photos.

On a computer:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Go to photos.google.com.
3. Click Create / Add photos in the upper-right area.
4. Select Back up folders.
5. Choose the folders containing the photos and videos.
6. Give Google Photos permission to access the folders.
7. Allow the upload process to complete.

How Google Photos Folder Backup Works Now 

The new Google Photos folder backup is browser/web-app based. Google says users should keep the Google Photos tab open or have the Google Photos Web App running for background backup. If the browser tab is closed, files in the selected folders will not continue backing up automatically. This is an important detail that should not be missed in an article because it means the replacement does not work exactly like the old Drive for desktop workflow.

Can users manually upload photos?

Yes. Users don’t have to configure folder backup. They can manually upload photos and videos through Google Photos. The current Google instructions are:

Google Photos → Create/Add photos → Import photos → select files → Open.

Users can also drag photos from their computer into an album in Google Photos.

Will Google Photos upload duplicate photos?

Google says that when a folder is added for backup, it attempts to upload the folder’s contents, but content that has already been uploaded generally won’t be uploaded again. However, Google notes that content that was previously uploaded but later edited or deleted while backed up may be uploaded again. That makes it useful to verify the backup rather than simply assuming everything transferred correctly.

How to check whether your photos are backed up

Google Photos provides several ways to verify the status.

Check the overall backup status

Open Google Photos on your computer and look at the backup status at the top of the library.

Possible statuses include:

• Preparing backup
• Backing up photos
• Backup complete
• Backup paused
• No backup

Check an individual photo

You can also open a particular photo or video and select Info. Under Backed up, Google Photos displays the backup status and file size. This is particularly useful after moving from Drive for desktop to Google Photos.

Are smartphone users affected?

Not by this particular change. Google Photos’ normal mobile backup continues to operate. Photos and videos backed up through the Google Photos app on Android or iPhone are not affected by the retirement of the Drive for desktop route. Google’s current help documentation continues to provide separate backup controls for mobile devices and device folders.

What about Google Drive itself?

Google Drive for desktop is not shutting down. The change is specifically about the connection between Drive for desktop and Google Photos backup. Drive for desktop continues to provide its normal file-syncing and file-access functions. Google is separating those functions from photo backup and directing users toward Google Photos for photo management.

What about Google Drive files?

Another important distinction is that a photo stored in Google Drive is not automatically the same thing as a photo backed up to Google Photos. After August 10, Google says users who want to continue backing up folders should use Google Photos. Google also notes that users can add photos and videos from Google Drive to Google Photos where applicable.

Therefore, users should not assume:

“My photos are in Google Drive, so Google Photos is automatically backing them up.”

Those are separate services and storage locations.

Does the change affect Google storage?

Potentially, yes. Google Account storage is shared among services including Google Drive, Google Photos and Gmail. If the account reaches its storage limit, new photos and videos cannot be backed up until the user frees space or obtains additional storage.

Google Photos currently offers two main backup-quality options:

• Original quality: Photos and videos retain their original resolution and count toward storage.
• Storage saver: Files are compressed to use less storage.

For people moving a large computer library to Google Photos, checking available Google Account storage before starting a major upload is therefore important.

Google Photos file limits

Google’s current computer backup documentation says:

• Photos can be up to 200 MB or 200 MP
• Videos can be up to 10 GB
• Files must be larger than 256 × 256
• Google Photos supports common formats such as JPG, HEIC, HEIF, PNG, WEBP, GIF, AVIF and many RAW formats.

Google lists numerous supported video formats as well, including MP4, MOV, MKV, MTS, M2TS and others.

One limitation for Mac users

There is an important limitation with the new browser-based folder backup. Google says the Apple Photos Library is not supported when backing up folders through photos.google.com. For Apple Photos Library content, Google recommends using the Google Photos app on an iPhone or iPad instead.

How to Check Your Google Photos Backup 

If you previously used Drive for desktop for Google Photos backups, the safest checklist is:

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Check whether recent computer photos are appearing.
3. Check the backup status.
4. Select Back up folders and add the computer folders you still need to protect.
5. Keep the Google Photos tab open or run the Photos Web App while backup is taking place.
6. Check individual photos to confirm they show as backed up.
7. Check available Google Account storage.
8. Keep a separate local or external backup of important photos.

The last point is particularly important for irreplaceable photographs. Cloud storage should ideally not be the only copy of important memories.

Google Photos and Google Drive are not going away. The change only affects how computer folders are backed up to Google Photos. If you use Drive for desktop, switch to Back up folders in Google Photos and keep the browser tab or Web App running to ensure new photos continue uploading. 

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