TL;DR
- Starting August 10, 2026, Drive for desktop will no longer back up photos or videos from your computer folders to Google Photos. The desktop app stops uploading after that date.
- Your existing backed-up photos are safe. Nothing changes for those who back up photos directly from their smartphone via the Google Photos app.
- To keep backing up photos from your computer, switch to the Google Photos folder backup tool before August 10. After you switch, check that your files are backed up.
On August 10, Google will remove the option to use Drive for desktop to back up photos and videos to Google Photos. This move finishes what started when Google split Photos from Drive and made it a separate product.
If you use Drive for desktop to upload photos from a computer folder to Google Photos, that feature is ending soon. Google Photos keeps your existing pictures, but after August 10, new photos in those folders will not upload. If you do not switch, you will stop backing up new images.
Drive and Photos go their separate ways
In 2019, Google separated Google Photos from Google Drive. Before that, photos in Drive showed up in Photos and vice versa, which often caused confusion and duplicates. After the split, Google still let you use Drive for desktop to pick a folder on your computer and back it up to Google Photos.
Now, Google is cutting this last connection. You have not been able to create new Google Photos backup folders in Drive for desktop for a while. On August 10, Google will turn off the feature for good. After that, Drive for desktop will only sync regular files for Drive and Workspace.
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Are your photos at risk?
If you’ve only ever backed up photos by installing the Google Photos app on your phone and letting it automatically upload your camera roll, this change does not affect you. Your phone backups will continue working as they always have.
This change affects anyone who used Drive for desktop to back up photos and videos from a computer. If you save camera photos to a folder on your PC and count on Google to upload them, you need to switch.
If this sounds like you, act now. After August 10, automatic uploads stop. You will lose new photos if you do not set up another backup.
How to switch to the Google Photos folder backup right now
Google now offers a folder backup feature inside Google Photos. You do not need Drive for desktop. The new tool works much the same way, but you set it up in the Photos web interface. Here is how to switch before the deadline:
- Open Google Photos in a web browser on your computer.
- Click the “Upload” button (the cloud-with-an-arrow icon in the top right) and select “Back up folders”.
- A system file browser will open. Select the folders on your computer that contain the photos and videos you want to protect.
- Confirm and let the backup complete. Depending on the size of your library, this could take a while.
After the first upload, Google Photos will keep watching those folders and automatically add new files, just like Drive for desktop did, but now through the Photos web app. When the upload finishes, open Google Photos and check that everything is there. Look for recently added items, scan for missing dates, and make sure no files were skipped.
For extra safety, keep another backup on an external drive or a second cloud service. The rule is simple: keep three copies. One on your computer, one in the cloud, and one offsite.
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Why Google is making this change
Google is making this change to simplify its products. Google Photos now works as a full photo management service and does not need Drive’s file syncing. Keeping them connected causes confusion and technical problems because Photos is for media and Drive is for documents and files.
By moving everyone to Google Photos’ own backup tool, Google can offer a more integrated experience with features like live albums, shared libraries, and face grouping. It also lets Google focus on one system instead of keeping two different products connected. Switch to the new folder backup tool inside the Google Photos web interface. Check that your backup is complete, then move on. Your photos will be safe, and the transition will be smooth. If you already back up from your phone, you can skip this. But if you are in the affected group, do not wait until you have lost a month of pictures to realize the old system is gone.
FAQ
What happens to my photos already backed up via Drive for desktop?
They remain safe in Google Photos. This change only stops new uploads from the desktop Drive app; it does not delete anything already stored.
Does this affect my smartphone backups?
No. If you use the Google Photos app on your Android or iPhone to automatically back up your camera roll, nothing changes. This only impacts people who used Drive for desktop to upload photos from a computer.
How do I back up photos from my computer after August 10?
You must use the “Back up folders” feature in the Google Photos web app. Open Google Photos, click Upload, and select the folders you want to back up continuously.
Can I still use Drive for desktop for regular files?
Yes. Drive for desktop will continue to sync documents, PDFs, and other non-photo files to Google Drive. Only the Google Photos backup link is being removed.
What if I don’t switch by August 10?
New photos you add to your computer folders will not be backed up to Google Photos after August 10. You will lose new images if you do not set up the alternative backup before the cutoff.
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