Google Drive for desktop is about to make an important change. If you currently use Google Drive for desktop to automatically back up photos and videos from folders on your Windows or Mac computer to Google Photos, the feature will stop working on August 10, 2026.
The good news is that this does not mean Google Drive is being discontinued, and it does not mean that your existing Google Photos library will be deleted. The change affects the way new photos and videos are backed up from your computer.
What Is Changing?
Google Drive for desktop has traditionally allowed users to select folders on their computers and enable "Back up to Google Photos." This allowed new photos and videos added to those folders to be uploaded automatically to Google Photos. That system is now being retired.
According to Google's current support documentation, August 10, 2026 is the final date for Google Drive for desktop's Google Photos backup support.
Google had already started the transition earlier in 2026. Beginning June 15, 2026, users could no longer configure new Google Photos backup folders through the Drive for desktop interface. Existing folders continued to work temporarily.
What Happens on August 10?
After August 10, Google Drive for desktop will no longer provide the old computer-folder-to-Google-Photos backup feature. In simple terms:
OLD METHOD
Computer Folder
↓
Google Drive for Desktop
↓
Google Photos
NEW METHOD
Computer Folder
↓
Google Photos
↓
Back up folders
Google is moving computer-folder photo backups into the Google Photos experience instead of keeping the feature inside Drive for desktop.
Are My Existing Photos Safe?
Yes. This is probably the most important part of the announcement. Photos and videos that have already been backed up to Google Photos will remain in your Google Photos library. The end of Drive for desktop's backup feature does not automatically delete those photos.
For example, if you previously backed up thousands of family photos, travel photographs, screenshots or videos using Drive for desktop, those items will remain in Google Photos. The change affects future backups, not your existing Google Photos library.
Who Is Affected?
The change mainly affects people who use Google Drive for desktop on a Windows or Mac computer and have configured folders for Google Photos backup. For example, imagine you have:
Pictures/
├── Family/
├── Travel/
├── Work/
└── Screenshots/
If one or more of these folders were configured in Drive for desktop with "Back up to Google Photos", the old backup process will end on August 10.
Who Does Not Need to Worry?
If you only use the Google Photos mobile app to back up photos from your Android phone or iPhone, this particular change does not stop your mobile backup.
Google Drive itself is also not shutting down. Normal Google Drive storage, syncing and file access continue to operate separately from the Google Photos backup change.
How to Continue Backing Up Computer Photos
Google's new approach allows you to select folders directly through Google Photos. The process is straightforward.
Step 1 — Open Google Photos
Open Google Photos on your computer and sign in with the Google Account where you want your photos stored.
Step 2 — Select the Add Photos Option
Look for the + button near the top-right of the Google Photos interface.
Step 3 — Choose "Back up folders"
Select:
+ → Back up folders
Step 4 — Select Your Computer Folder
Choose the folder containing the photos and videos you want Google Photos to back up. For example:
Pictures
Documents/Photos
Desktop/Camera Uploads
Travel Photos
Family Photos
Step 5 — Give Permission
Google Photos may ask for permission to access the selected folder. Allow the required permissions so Google Photos can perform the backup.
Step 6 — Verify the Backup
Don't simply select the folder and forget about it. Add a test photo to the folder and check whether it appears in Google Photos. This is especially important if you have a large collection of important photos.
Keep the Photos Web App Running
Google's current instructions say that folder backup can run in the background when the Google Photos tab remains open or when the Photos web app is running.
If you close the browser tab and do not have the Photos web app running, selected folders may not continue backing up automatically.
Do I Need to Move My Photos?
No. You don't need to move your existing photos into a completely different folder just because Google is ending the Drive integration. Your existing computer folders can still be used. The important change is simply how Google Photos accesses those folders for backup.
What About Photos Already Backed Up?
They stay in Google Photos. For example, suppose you have already uploaded:
- 5,000 family photographs
- 2,000 travel photographs
- Hundreds of videos
- Years of personal memories
Those items are not automatically removed when Drive for desktop stops supporting Google Photos backup. Google specifically states that existing backed-up photos remain in Google Photos.
One Important Thing to Check: Storage
Before setting up a large computer photo collection, check your Google Account storage. Google storage is shared across services including:
- Google Photos
- Google Drive
- Gmail
- Other Google storage usage
If your account is already close to its storage limit, a large photo backup could eventually stop when you run out of available space.
Don't Keep Your Only Copy in the Cloud
Cloud backup is useful, but important memories should ideally have more than one copy. For particularly important photographs, consider keeping another copy on:
- An external hard drive
- A second backup drive
- Another trusted cloud backup
- A separate computer or storage device
A simple backup rule is:
Important Data
↓
Primary Copy
+
Cloud Backup
+
Offline Backup
Google Drive Is Not Being Discontinued
There is an important distinction here. Google Drive is not shutting down. Google is only removing the specific integration that allowed Drive for desktop to back up computer folders directly to Google Photos.
You can continue using Google Drive for normal file storage and syncing. The change is specifically related to Google Photos backup through Drive for desktop.
What You Should Do Before August 10
If you currently depend on Drive for desktop for computer photo backups, this is a good time to make the transition.
- Check whether you currently use "Back up to Google Photos" in Drive for desktop.
- Open Google Photos on your computer.
- Set up the Back up folders option.
- Select the folders containing your important photos.
- Verify that new photos are being uploaded.
- Check your available Google storage.
- Keep another backup of important photographs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Google delete my existing Google Photos?
No. Existing photos and videos that have already been backed up to Google Photos remain in your library.
Will Google Drive stop working?
No. Google Drive is not being discontinued. The change concerns Google Photos backup through Drive for desktop.
When does the old backup method stop?
The final cutoff is August 10, 2026.
Can I still back up photos from my computer?
Yes. Google provides the Back up folders option directly through Google Photos.
Will my phone backup stop?
Not because of this particular change. The announcement concerns Google Drive for desktop's computer-folder backup to Google Photos.
Do I need to move my photos?
No. You can continue using your existing computer folders and configure them through Google Photos.
What happens if I do nothing?
If you rely on the old Drive for desktop integration, new photos from those folders will no longer be backed up to Google Photos after the cutoff. Previously backed-up photos remain in your Google Photos library.
Final Thoughts
Google's decision to remove Google Photos backup from Drive for desktop may be inconvenient for people who have used the feature for years. However, the change is much less dramatic than it may initially sound. Your existing Google Photos library is not being deleted. Google Drive is not disappearing. Your computer files are not being removed. The main change is the way you back up new photos from your computer to Google Photos.
With the August 10 deadline approaching, users who depend on the old Drive-based backup should make the switch now rather than waiting until the final day.
Source: Google Photos Help and Google Drive Help.