Google Photos is Google’s video and image storage service. With the feature, users can make automatic backup of files from PC and mobile. To facilitate synchronization, you can download the app to computers or smartphones and enable automatic backup. Also, it is possible to share photos and videos with other users through access links.
Because of the free and unlimited storage of files in high quality, Google Photos has gained several adepts, as this makes it possible to free the memory of the devices. However, as of July 2021, the service will lose unlimited free storage. With this, users will have only 15 GB free, which is also used in Google Drive and Gmail. Check below ten questions and answers about the backup and synchronization of Google Photos.
1. How does Google Photos backup work?
The Google Photos backup is a service that stores all the photos in the Google cloud. The service also has an advanced search, which allows users to find images from the filters of faces, locations, and even objects present in the photos, such as laptops and flower pots.
To backup files, it is necessary to have a good Internet connection. For this reason, it is recommended that the user back up connected to Wi-Fi. Besides, Google Photos does not store very large files, with more than 200 MB or 150 MP. Videos with more than 10 GB also do not enter Google’s backup service. Images or videos too small, with less than 256 x 256 pixels, can not be stored either.
It is worth mentioning that as of July 2021, the service will no longer offer unlimited free storage. With the limit of 15 GB integrated with other services of the brand, such as Gmail and Google Drive, users will have less space to save their images and videos
2. How to enable Google Photos backup?
Google Photos users can upload images and videos from their PC to the cloud manually. To do this, just open the service in the browser and select the option “Upload” and select the files you want to backup. However, there is the option to automatically copy the images, which makes users’ daily lives easier.
To enable automatic backup of photos and videos, it is necessary to install the application on the device. On the PC, users must install the Google Backup and Sync app, available for systems from Windows 7 and MacOS. It is also possible to download the Google Photos app on Android and iPhone (iOS) phones.
After you finish installing the app on your PC, login with your Google account. Then select the option “Backup videos and photos”, choose the PC folders you want to synchronize, and determine whether the quality of the files in the backup will be the original or high quality. After enabling these options, the PC files will be automatically stored in the Google Photos backup.
3. What does “Google Photos getting ready to backup” mean?
When Google Photos displays the message “getting ready to backup”, it means that the photos stored on the device will soon be saved to the cloud. The message should appear for a few seconds, but some users report that sometimes it is displayed for days. When this happens, the person should pause the backup and resume manually. If the problem persists, just uninstall the app on your mobile or PC and download it again.
4. Where is the Google Photos backup?
The Google Photos backup is stored on the service’s website. To access it on your PC, just open Google Photos in your browser. All images displayed on the platform’s homepage are already backed up. To see which images have been backed up in the mobile app, access Google Photos settings, and click “Back up device folders”. All folders that are synchronized will be listed on this page. Then just click on your account image, located on the app home page, and check the backup status. If all images are stored, the application will display the message “Backup complete”.
5. What to do when Google Photos does not backup?
When Google Photos does not automatically backup photos from your PC or cell phone, the first step is to check your Internet connection. In case of instability, the service will not sync the files. Also, it is important to check that the synchronization has not been paused by the user. In the PC app, click on the “Google Backup and Sync” icon. If it is paused, the cloud icon displays the “II” symbol. To continue the process, open the settings and click “Resume”.
Another alternative that explains the error, especially on the PC, is that the folder is not selected in the application settings. To change, open the preferences, and select all folders on the computer. However, Google Photos may not back up on your phone either. In this case, access the app settings, click on “Backup and sync” and on “Backup device folders”. Then just select all folders and Google Photos will automatically backup them.
Besides, Google Photos does not store very large files or files with incompatible formats. If this is the case with your backup, choose to store your photos and videos in high quality, which “weighs” less than the original resolution, and convert the file to one of Google Photos compatible formats.
6. What types of files can be stored in your backup?
Google Photos allows storing photos and videos in the backup in different file formats. The photo formats JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF, and some RAW formats of specific cameras such as Canon DSLR and Nikon can be stored in the service. Besides, videos in MSG, MOD, MMV, TOD, WMW, ASF, DIVX, MOV, M4A, 3GP, 3G2, MP4, M2T, M2TS, MTS, and MKV formats can be stored in backup on the Google platform. Live Photos, a feature of devices with iOS, can only be stored if the app is installed on an Apple device.
7. How to restore the Google Photos backup?
It is possible to recover photos that were deleted 60 days ago at the most. After this period, the service’s trash is automatically emptied and it will not be possible to recover the deleted files. To recover deleted images within this period, simply access the trash, select the files and click “Restore”. Another option to recover files in backup is to access the Google Photos Archive. The cloud usually suggests that screenshots, for example, be archived. The way to access them again is by accessing the home page, so you need to click on “Archive”, select the images and then press Shift + A on the keyboard.
8. How to stop the Google Photos backup?
Users can pause the backup in the PC and mobile app. On the computer, access the Google Backup and Sync icon. Then open the app settings and click pause. This way, the backup of computer folders can only be done when the user resumes synchronization.
9. How to speed up Google Photos backup?
Google Photos does not have a solution to speed up the backup, but you can use some tips to make the synchronization faster. One of them is selecting the PC files that should be synchronized. To do this, access the app preferences on your PC and click “My laptop model”. You will see the message “Backing up photos and videos” below the folders that are synchronized. Click the “Change” option and uncheck the upload of screenshots and RAW files, which are heavier and take longer to backup.
One option to speed up Google Photos backup on your phone is to use your mobile data to perform the synchronization. To do this, access the settings and click “Backup and sync”. Then select the “Use mobile data” option and click the “Backup photos with data” check box. You can also synchronize all files in high quality to reduce the original image size and speed up the backup. To do this, open the backup and synchronization settings, select “Upload size” and click “High quality”.
10. How will the Google Photos backup look like from 2021?
Google Photos made available unlimited free storage of high-quality images and videos for everyone who used it. However, from July 2021 the platform will provide only 15GB integrated with other Google services such as Drive and Gmail. Even with this change, the high-quality files stored before the date will not be affected, so they will not be counted in the new Google Photos storage.
Users who want more storage should subscribe to one of Google Photos’ plans. The Google One plan, for example, makes 100GB available and costs $1.99 per month. The value of the 200GB plan is $2.99 per month and the 2TB plan costs $9.99 per month.
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