Google Drive ends Google Photos backup TODAY: What you need to know

Google is ending support for photo and video backups from the Google Drive desktop app to Google Photos from today, August 10. The change will affect Windows and Mac users who have been using Google Drive for desktop to automatically back up media stored on their computers.

Google had announced the change earlier and began notifying users about the transition in June. From today, the Drive for desktop app will no longer support backing up photos and videos to Google Photos.

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Google Drive to stop syncing photos with Google Photos

The change does not mean that you will lose photos and videos that have already been backed up to Google Photos. Existing content will remain available in Google Photos, while regular file synchronisation through Google Drive will continue to work.

However, if you relied on Drive for desktop to automatically back up new photos and videos from specific computer folders to Google Photos, you will need to switch to another backup method. Mobile backups through the Google Photos app will continue to work as usual.

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Google's move is aimed at simplifying how you manage files and photo backups across its services. The separation also means that Google Drive will continue to function primarily as a cloud storage and file-syncing service, while Google Photos handles photo and video backups.

What you should do now

If you want to back up photos and videos stored on their computers, you can use Google Photos supported upload options or another backup service. They should also check which folders are currently being backed up before the Drive feature disappears.

Importantly, you do not need to delete or move your existing Google Photos library because of this change. The immediate impact is on new desktop photo and video backups, not previously uploaded content.