Google Drive: This Google Drive service has been discontinued; the photo backup method has changed..

If you use 'Google Drive for Desktop' to automatically save photos and videos from your computer to Google Photos, this is important news for you. Google has decided to discontinue this feature. This does not mean that Google Photos is shutting down or that your existing photos will be deleted; the change applies only to the backup method.

After August 10, 2026, automatic backups from Google Drive for Desktop to Google Photos will no longer occur. Therefore, users who have photos saved on their computers will need to set up a new backup method in time.

What is changing?
Until now, 'Google Drive for Desktop' allowed you to select any folder on your computer and sync it directly with Google Photos. This meant that as soon as new photos or videos were added, they were automatically uploaded to the cloud. Google is now discontinuing this capability. The company has already removed the option to create new Google Photos backup folders. Existing folders continue to sync during the transition period, but this feature will be completely disabled after August 10, 2026. Please note that Google Photos will continue to function as usual; only the specific connection between Drive and Google Photos is being removed.

Who will be affected?
This change primarily affects users who transfer photos to Google Photos from Windows or Mac computers using Google Drive. If you back up to Google Photos solely from your Android phone or iPhone, you do not need to make any changes. Similarly, if you have never used the 'Drive for Desktop' photo backup feature, this change is irrelevant to you.

Why is Google doing this?
Google intends to separate photo backup from the Drive app and consolidate it entirely within Google Photos. This means that photo and video backups will be managed from a single location. While most users may not notice a significant difference, this change could be somewhat inconvenient for photographers, content creators, and individuals who typically copy camera photos to their computers first.

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