How to Back Up Photos to Google Drive

Back up your photos to Google Drive automatically or manually. Secure your photo library with cloud storage.

1. Open Google Photos or Google Drive. On your phone or computer, open the Google Photos app (recommended for automatic backup) or go to drive.google.com in your browser. If using Google Photos, tap your profile icon at the top right and confirm you are signed into the correct Google Account.
2. Enable automatic backup in Google Photos. In Google Photos, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), then select "Settings". Tap "Backup and sync" and toggle the switch to "On". Choose your backup quality: select "Storage Saver" for unlimited free backup (compressed quality) or "Original" to preserve full resolution (uses your storage quota). Tap "Backup over WiFi and mobile data" to set your upload preference.
3. Check backup status. Return to Google Photos home. Look for the backup indicator at the top of the screen. A green checkmark next to a cloud icon means backup is complete. If you see a blue sync icon, backup is in progress. If you see a warning icon, tap it to resolve any errors (usually a storage or connection issue).
4. Manually upload photos on computer. On a computer, go to drive.google.com and sign in. Click the "New" button on the left, then select "File upload" or "Folder upload". Navigate to the folder containing your photos and select the files or folder. Click "Open" to begin uploading. Files will appear in your "My Drive" or in a dedicated Photos folder.
5. Create a dedicated Photos folder in Google Drive. In Google Drive, click "New" and select "Folder". Name it "Photos Backup" or your preferred label. Double-click the folder to open it, then drag and drop uploaded photo files into it. You can create subfolders by year or event for better organization.
6. Monitor storage and adjust backup settings. In Google Photos settings, tap "Storage" to see how much space you are using. If you approach your 15 GB free limit with Storage Saver, buy additional storage through your Google Account settings or manage which photos to keep backed up. You can exclude specific albums or folders from automatic backup by unchecking them in the backup settings.
7. Verify backup is complete. Open Google Drive or Google Photos on a different device and sign in with the same account. Navigate to your Photos folder or the Google Photos library. You should see the same photos you backed up. If a photo appears on one device but not another, wait a few minutes for sync to complete.