The Google Drive photos backup feature is shutting down, prompting users to transition to Google Photos to safeguard media libraries.
Google has confirmed that its Drive desktop app will end support for automatic Google Photos backups starting August 10, 2026. Moving forward, users relying on the desktop client to sync photos and videos from their computers will no longer have new media automatically backed up to Google Photos.
Google stated that the change is part of an effort to streamline its backup tools and keep media management focused within the dedicated Photos app.
“Google Drive for desktop ends support for Google Photos backup on August 10, 2026,” the company noted in a support update. Users wishing to stop existing folder backups before the deadline can adjust their settings, while those wanting to transfer media afterward will need to manually import photos and videos from Google Drive into Google Photos.
Currently, Google Drive for desktop allows users to select local computer folders for automatic backup to Google Photos offering a seamless way to keep photo libraries cloud-synced without manual intervention. Starting August 10, that automatic bridge between Drive for desktop and Google Photos will be decommissioned entirely. Any local folders still configured under this system will no longer upload new photos or videos to Google Photos once the deadline passes.
Importantly, neither Google Drive nor Google Photos is shutting down. Standard file syncing via the Drive desktop app will continue uninterrupted; Google is solely removing the automatic pipeline that pushed Drive-synced photos directly into Google Photos. Furthermore, the company confirmed that all media previously backed up through this integration will remain safe and unaffected in Google Photos.
To keep automatic photo backups running, Google instructs users to set up syncing directly through Google Photos rather than the Drive desktop client. Users have two main methods:
• Folder Backup: In Google Photos, select the “+” button, click “Back up folders,” and choose the local computer folders you want synced mirroring the previous Drive desktop functionality.
• Import from Drive: Users can also import photos and videos already stored in Google Drive directly into Google Photos.
It is important to note that, unlike the old Google Drive desktop app which ran continuously in the background the web-based Google Photos folder backup only functions while you have the Google Photos tab or progressive web app (PWA) open in your browser.
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For casual users who primarily back up photos from their smartphones, this update will go largely unnoticed, as mobile backups through the iOS and Android Google Photos apps are completely unaffected.
However, for users who rely on computer folders such as camera imports or scanned files as their main backup route via the Drive desktop client, taking action before the deadline is essential. While missing the cutoff won’t delete existing media, it will silently stop new files from uploading until the new backup workflow is configured.
