Google Drive's Photos backup ends today: Here's what you need to do right now
The clock has officially run out.As of today, Google's Drive desktop app no longer supports Google Photos backups (via MUO ). While Google posted a heads-up on its support page a few months ago, anyone who missed the memo is in for a last-minute surprise.
So what does this all mean?
At first glance, it's a bit confusing, because Google Drive and Google Photos will both still continue to operate after this date. It's a small detail, but Google Drive for desktop has the option to automatically back up folders with photos directly to Google Photos.
It's convenient because there are no extra steps involved, and the process is rather smooth. However, as of tomorrow, the apps will no longer sync with each other. So, you won't be able to automatically have Drive send your data to Google Photos.
A big change, so be prepared
If you're someone who relies on this connection, you'll want to be prepared. You don't want to think that all your photos are being backed up only to realize at some point that they really aren't. The good news is that there is a solution. It's not pretty, but there's not much of a choice at this moment.
Since there is no official Google Photos desktop app, you will need to visit the Photos website to back up to the service going forward. Yes, it's a bit of a pain, but it's a necessary step for now. You can set up this process by going to the Photos website, selecting the "+" in the upper right-hand corner, and choosing the Backup folders option.
Once you set up the folders you want backed up, Google Photos will always back up those images whenever you visit the website. That last part is going to be the largest hurdle for most people. While the Drive to Photos method was seamless, this new backup method requires an extra step.
If your phone does double duty as your camera, downloading the standalone Google Photos app makes the transition painless. You get instant auto-syncing as you shoot, full control over image quality, and a handy space-saving setting so your cloud allocation doesn't disappear overnight.
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