You can automatically save your photos and videos to your Google Account when you turn on backup. You can access your saved photos and videos from any device you’re signed in to. Your backed-up photos and videos are private and viewable only by you on your signed-in devices unless shared. You can back up photos and videos to only one Google Account at a time. Learn how to fix backup issues . Before you get started Important: Your Google Account storage is shared across multiple products like Google Photos, Google Drive, and Gmail. If you've used all of your storage, you can either buy more storage or clean up your storage space . Good internet connection. File sizes that can be backed up: Photos up to 200 MB or 200 MP. Videos up to 10 GB. Items must be larger than 256 x 256. Photos up to 200 MB or 200 MP. Videos up to 10 GB. Items must be larger than 256 x 256. File types that can be backed up: Photos: .jpg, .heic, .heif, .png, .webp, .gif, .avif, and most RAW files. Videos: .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv files. Photos: .jpg, .heic, .heif, .png, .webp, .gif, .avif, and most RAW files. Videos: .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv files. File formats that can be backed up: 10-bit HDR videos. Topshot (Pixel only). Slow-mo. Depth videos. Motion photos. Live photos when you use the Google Photos app on your iPhone or iPad. 10-bit HDR videos. Topshot (Pixel only). Live photos when you use the Google Photos app on your iPhone or iPad. If you try to back up a file type not listed here, it may not work with Google Photos. Important: To automatically back up folders, you must use a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge. Upload items to Google Photos from your browser On your computer, open photos.google.com . At the top right, select Create and add photos . Under “Add photos,” select Import photos . Find and select your photos. Tip: You can also drag photos from your computer to the album to upload them to Google Photos. If you drag a photo to a specific album, the photo will be uploaded to that album. Check where your photos & videos were uploaded from In Google Photos, you can check how you uploaded your photos and videos. On your computer, open photos.google.com . Click a photo or video. At the top right, click Info . Next to File upload , you'll find which source uploaded your photo or video. For example, "Uploaded from Android device" or "Uploaded from Google Drive." File upload won't show if we don't know the upload source. File upload won't show if we don't know the upload source. Back up folders You can automatically backup photos and videos from your computer to Google Photos. On your computer, go to photos.google.com . At the top right, click Create and add photos . Under “Add photos,” click Back up folders . Select the folders that you want to backup. To grant Google Photos the necessary permissions to view and backup, click Allow or Allow on every visit . To allow backup, keep the Google Photos tab open on your browser or have the Photos Web App running. This allows the backup to happen in the background. If you close the tab, the photos and videos in the selected folders won’t back up automatically. If you close the tab, the photos and videos in the selected folders won’t back up automatically. If you don’t find the option to back up or get a “Browser not supported” message, switch to a supported browser or update your current browser to the latest version. Apple Photos Library is not supported when you back up folders from photos.google.com . You can instead use the Google Photos app on an iPhone or iPad to back up these photos or videos. You can instead use the Google Photos app on an iPhone or iPad to back up these photos or videos. When you add a folder to be backed up, Google Photos will try to upload all the content in the folder. Only content not previously uploaded, or uploaded and later edited or deleted while backed up, is uploaded. Any content that has already been backed up will not be reuploaded. Only content not previously uploaded, or uploaded and later edited or deleted while backed up, is uploaded. Any content that has already been backed up will not be reuploaded. Check your overall backup status

Important: If backup is on and there’s enough storage, you can find the backup status at the top of your library. On your computer, go to photos.google.com . At the top, check the backup status. Google Photos : No backup. Preparing backup: Backup is starting. Backing up photos: Backup is in process. Backup complete : Backup is done. Backup paused : Backup is currently paused. Google Photos : No backup. Preparing backup: Backup is starting. Backing up photos: Backup is in process. Backup complete : Backup is done. Backup paused : Backup is currently paused. To learn more, click the status. Optional: Notify me: Enable notifications to receive Photos updates about backup and other features. Notify me: Enable notifications to receive Photos updates about backup and other features. To exit, click Close . Tip: To make sure your media backs up successfully, check the requirements . Check a photo's or video's backup status On your computer, open photos.google.com . Click a photo or video. At the top right, click Info . Under Backed up , the backup status and size of your photo or video displays. Stop backing up folders with Google Drive Important: Google Drive for desktop ends support for Google Photos backup on August 10, 2026. To stop backing up existing folders before this date, use these instructions. To continue backing up folders after this date, you must add photos & videos from Google Drive to Google Photos . To stop backing up a specific folder: On your computer, open Drive for desktop. Log into your Google Account with your username and password. At the top right, click Settings Preferences . On the left, click Folders from your computer . Choose a specific folder. Uncheck Back up to Google Photos . Unchecking “Sync with Google Drive” is optional. Unchecking “Sync with Google Drive” is optional. Click Done and then Save . To stop folder backups, you do not need to disconnect your Google Account. When you stop a backup, it only prevents future uploads. Existing photos stay in Google Photos. To remove them, you must delete them manually at photos.google.com . Learn how to delete photos and videos . Learn what happens when you back up your photos If you have backup turned on: Find photos from your phone: On your computer, you can find photos and videos that you take on your phone or mobile device. Learn how to turn on backup . If you’ve backed up your content manually or automatically: Automatic sync: You can find any photos you take and any edits you make to them on any device you sign in to. If you edit and save a photo on your phone, the photo is the same on photos.google.com . Fast and powerful search: You can search your photos by the people in them when you turn on Face Groups . You can also search by places and items in the photos. No tagging is required. Automatic creations: With automatically created highlight videos, collages, animations, and panoramas, you can bring your photos to life. Related resources How your Google storage works Choose the backup quality of photos and videos Delete photos & video Was this helpful? Need more help? Try these next steps: More storage across Google Drive, Gmail and Google Photos for you and your family. Access to Google experts. Family sharing option. Expanded storage.