Google has officially ended Google Photos backup support in the Google Drive for desktop app from August 10, 2026, changing the way users who store photos and videos on their computers can back up their media to Google’s cloud services.
The change mainly affects people who previously used the Google Drive desktop application to automatically back up selected folders containing photos and videos to Google Photos. Google had been warning users about the change since June, when it began displaying notifications asking them to move their photo-backup setup to Google Photos.
Under the old system, users could select folders on their Windows or Mac computers through Google Drive for desktop and enable the option to “Back up to Google Photos.” Once enabled, new photos and videos placed in those folders could automatically be uploaded to Google Photos.
That feature has now been discontinued. Google says that from August 10, users who want to continue backing up computer folders to Google Photos will need to use the Google Photos interface instead. The company has been moving photo-management and backup functions toward Google Photos rather than maintaining them inside Drive for desktop.
Importantly, the change does not mean that existing photos stored in Google Photos will be deleted. Google states that photos and videos that have already been backed up will remain in Google Photos. The end of the Drive desktop feature only affects the future backup process.
This distinction is important for users who may be worried that their existing photo library is suddenly at risk. If a photo was already successfully uploaded to Google Photos before the change, it will remain there unless the user manually deletes it.
However, users who continue adding new photos to folders on their computers need to make alternative arrangements. Google recommends adding photos and videos from Google Drive to Google Photos through the new backup process. This means users will need to select their folders through Google Photos rather than relying on the previous Drive for desktop setting.
The change could be particularly noticeable for photographers, content creators and people who maintain large photo libraries on desktop computers. Many such users have traditionally kept their original files in folders on Windows or Mac computers and used Drive for desktop as a convenient way to send copies to Google Photos.
Google began the transition on June 15, 2026. From that date, users could no longer configure new Google Photos backup folders through the Drive for desktop interface, although folders that were already configured continued to work temporarily. The final shutdown of the feature took effect on August 10.
Google says the change is part of an effort to simplify its backup tools and move photo-related functionality into Google Photos. The company already provides dedicated backup features through Google Photos, including options for choosing storage quality.
Users can choose between Storage Saver and Original Quality when backing up photos and videos. Storage Saver uses less cloud storage, while Original Quality keeps the files at their original quality and size.
For people who use Google Drive mainly for documents and other files, there is no major change to normal Drive functionality. The discontinuation specifically concerns the connection between Drive for desktop and Google Photos photo/video backup.
The change also highlights an important difference between cloud storage and backup services. A file stored on a computer and a copy stored in Google Photos are not necessarily the same thing. Users with important photographs should consider maintaining more than one backup, particularly for valuable personal or professional archives.
Google’s decision is likely to encourage users to manage their photo backups directly through Google Photos. While this creates a more clearly separated role for Drive and Photos, desktop users who preferred the previous automated workflow may need to adjust their habits.
For users who already have photos backed up to Google Photos, there is no need to panic. The existing library remains available. The main task is to ensure that new photos and videos continue to receive a proper backup after the Drive desktop feature has ended.
The change therefore marks the end of a long-running Google Drive feature rather than the end of Google Photos backup itself. Google Photos continues to support photo and video backups, but computer users must now use the newer Google Photos-based method rather than the old Drive for desktop integration.
