Google Kills Drive Photo Backup, Shifts Users to Google Photos

Google is ending its photo backup feature in Drive for desktop from August 10, 2026, requiring users to shift their setup to Google Photos.

The change affects those who use Drive to automatically send photos and videos from computer folders to Google Photos. Google Photos itself will continue to operate, and previously backed-up media will remain in users' libraries.

Users who currently rely on Drive for desktop photo backup need to set up the folders again through Google Photos by August 10. They can do this by opening Google Photos, adding photos, selecting 'Back up folders', and picking the folders containing their photos and videos. Google says the website or web app can handle the backup process.