Angela Lang/CNET
If you store all your Google-related document and files — including photos — automatically in Google Drive, take note: Starting July 10, Google will uncouple Google Photos from Google Drive, and the two storage services will not automatically keep each other’s photos in sync. With the change, you will be able to choose where and how you store your photos and videos, but if you’re used to finding all your photos in Google Photos and in Google Drive — automatically synced in both places — you’ll need to decide how to manage your photos before Google turns off syncing next month.
After July 10, photos you’ve uploaded to one location will not automatically show up in the other place, and changes you make to a photo in one spot won’t automatically sync with the other spot.
If you use the Backup and Sync app on Windows or MacOS, you can still back up photos from your computer, camera or SD card to Google Drive and Photos, but the app will upload a copy to each place.
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How to sync photos from Google Drive to Google Photos
If you want to move photos and videos from Drive over to Photos, Google will also release in July a transfer tool called Share with Me to help you copy files from Drive to Photos. Google’s new tool won’t sync these duplicate files, however, so changes you make in one spot won’t ripple through to the other spot. And note: If you save your photos using the Original full-resolution setting, those duplicate files will count twice toward your Drive storage cap, instead of once, like it does now.
How to sync your photos with Google Photos
To check that your Google Photos app is syncing with your Google Photos library on Google’s servers, tap the hamburger menu in the Photos app and tap Settings.
Tap Back up & Sync and then make sure you’ve toggled on Back up & sync and you’re backing up to the correct account.