Google Drive Dumps Automatic Photo Backups to Google Photos in August
Google Drive's desktop app will stop automatically backing up photos to Google Photos on August 10, 2026. This change means that users who rely on Drive's desktop client to sync photos and videos from their computers will no longer see new media automatically backed up to Google Photos.
The company is simplifying backup tools and focusing on dedicated photo management via the Photos app. Existing backups in Google Photos won't be affected, but new photos and videos won't be synced after August 10 without manual setup.
Users can continue backing up folders by adding photos and videos from Drive to Google Photos directly through the Photos website or by using the 'Import from Drive' feature. However, this will require users to set things up manually each time, rather than relying on the automatic backup process.