Google Photos backs up your pictures automatically once you turn on the feature, or you can upload them manually from your computer or phone
Google Photos stores copies of your photos in the cloud so you do not lose them if your phone breaks or gets lost. The service works on Android phones, iPhones, tablets, and computers. Most people set it to back up automatically — your photos upload in the background without you doing anything — but you can also upload specific photos whenever you want.
The backup happens over WiFi by default, which means your phone will not use your mobile data plan. Google gives you 15 GB of free storage before you have to pay for more. Photos backed up in "Storage Saver" quality (a slightly compressed version) do not count against this limit, but original quality photos do.
Key Takeaways
- Turn on backup in the Google Photos app on your phone, and photos upload automatically whenever you are on WiFi.
- You can choose to back up only photos, only videos, or both, and you can exclude certain folders if you want.
- Google gives you 15 GB free, but photos in "Storage Saver" quality do not count toward this limit.
- On a computer, you upload photos by opening Google Photos in a web browser and clicking the upload button, or by using Google's backup tool for Windows and Mac.
Setting up automatic backup on Android phones
Open the Google Photos app on your Android phone. If you do not have it, download it from the Google Play Store. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap Photos settings.
Tap Backup and sync. Toggle the switch to turn it on. You will see options for which Google account to use, what quality to save (Storage Saver or Original), and whether to back up over mobile data or WiFi only. Most people leave it set to WiFi only to avoid using their phone plan. Once you turn on Backup and sync, your photos start uploading automatically whenever you connect to WiFi.
If you want to exclude certain folders — like screenshots or a folder you use for temporary photos — tap Backup device folders and uncheck the ones you do not want backed up. You can also choose whether to back up videos by toggling the video option on or off.
Setting up automatic backup on iPhones
Download Google Photos from the App Store if you do not have it. Open the app and tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap Photos settings.
Tap Backup and sync and toggle it on. Choose your Google account and your backup quality. iPhone does not let you exclude specific folders the way Android does, but you can turn off video backup if you want to save storage space. The backup will start automatically whenever you are on WiFi and the app is running in the background.
If you want to speed up the first backup, open Google Photos and keep the app open while connected to WiFi. The initial upload of all your existing photos can take several hours depending on how many you have.
Uploading photos from a Windows or Mac computer
Go to photos.google.com in any web browser and sign in with your Google account. Click the upload button (it looks like an arrow pointing up) in the top left. Select the photos or folders you want to upload from your computer, then click Open. The photos upload to your Google Photos account.
For automatic backup on a computer, Google offers a tool called Google Photos Backup and Sync (on Windows) or Google Photos for Mac. Download it from Google's website, install it, and sign in. You can then choose which folders on your computer to back up automatically. The tool runs in the background and uploads new photos as you add them to those folders.
On a Mac, the backup tool is called Google Photos for Mac and works the same way — you choose folders, sign in, and it backs up automatically. Both tools let you decide whether to back up in original quality or Storage Saver quality.
Understanding storage limits and quality options
Google gives every account 15 GB of free storage shared across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Photos backed up in Storage Saver quality do not count toward this limit, which is why most people use that setting. Storage Saver compresses photos slightly, but the difference is usually not noticeable on a phone or computer screen.
If you back up in Original quality, each photo counts toward your 15 GB limit. Once you reach 15 GB, you cannot back up more photos unless you delete some or pay for extra storage. Google offers 100 GB, 200 GB, and 2 TB plans if you need more space.
You can check how much storage you have used by going to photos.google.com, clicking your profile picture, and selecting Manage your Google Account. Click the Storage tab to see a breakdown of what is using space across all your Google services.
Backing up photos you already took
If you have photos on your phone that were taken before you turned on backup, Google Photos will upload them the next time you open the app and connect to WiFi. You do not have to do anything — just wait for the backup to finish. You can watch the progress in the app.
If you have photos on an old phone or a camera, connect the device to your computer and copy the photos to a folder. Then go to photos.google.com, click the upload button, and select that folder. All the photos upload at once.
For very large batches of photos, the upload can take a long time. Keep your computer plugged in and connected to WiFi while it uploads. You can close the browser tab and come back later — the upload will continue in the background.
Troubleshooting backup problems
If your photos are not backing up, first check that you are connected to WiFi and that the Google Photos app has permission to access your photos. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Google Photos > Permissions and make sure Photos and videos is toggled on. On iPhone, go to Settings > Google Photos and make sure Photos is toggled on.
If you have turned on backup but nothing is happening, try signing out and signing back in. Open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, tap Sign out, then sign back in with your Google account. Sometimes this resets the backup process.
If you see an error message about storage being full, you have reached your 15 GB limit. You can delete photos from Google Photos to free up space, buy more storage, or switch to Storage Saver quality for future backups. Deleting photos from Google Photos does not delete them from your phone unless you also delete them there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google Photos backup drain my phone battery?
Backup uses some battery, but not much because it only happens when you are on WiFi and the app is running. If you notice your battery draining faster, you can turn off backup temporarily or set it to only back up when your phone is charging. Go to Photos settings > Backup and sync to adjust these options.
Can I back up photos from multiple phones to the same Google account?
Yes. Sign in with the same Google account on each phone, turn on backup on each one, and all photos from all phones go to the same Google Photos library. You can tell which phone a photo came from by looking at the date and time, but Google Photos does not label them by device.
What happens to my backed-up photos if I delete the Google account?
If you delete your Google account, all photos in Google Photos are deleted after 30 days. If you want to keep them, download them to your computer before deleting the account. Go to photos.google.com, select the photos you want, click the three dots menu, and choose Download.
Can I back up photos without using WiFi?
By default, backup only happens on WiFi to save your mobile data. You can change this in Photos settings > Backup and sync and toggle on Back up over mobile data, but this will use data from your phone plan. Most people leave this off unless they have unlimited data.
How long does it take to back up all my photos?
The time depends on how many photos you have and your WiFi speed. A few hundred photos might take an hour or two, while thousands can take several hours or overnight. The first backup is always the slowest because it has to upload everything at once. After that, only new photos upload, which is much faster.