How To Use Google Photos?

Google Photos is safe and secure storage for your photos and videos

Google Photos is a free photo and video storage and sharing service developed by Google. Formally know as Google Cloud Photos Android, Google Photos is now available for all platforms including Android, Microsoft, and iOS, It allows users to store photos and videos in the cloud, organize them into albums, you can also create collages and movies, and share them with others. Here are details about how to use Google Photos.

Why Use Google Photos?

Here are some reasons why you should consider using Google Photos:

Automatic Backup and Storage: Free up space on your device by automatically backing up your photos and videos to Google Photos. You get 15GB of free storage, which can hold a significant amount of photos in “high quality.”
Accessibility Across Devices: Access your photos and videos from anywhere, anytime with any device that has an internet connection. You can view, edit, and share your memories from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Powerful Search: Forget spending time scrolling through endless folders. Google Photos uses powerful AI to recognize objects, places, and even faces in your photos. You can easily search for specific things like “beach vacation” or “birthday party with Sarah” to find the photos you’re looking for.
Smart Organization: Google Photos automatically groups your photos by date, location, and even the people or objects in them. This makes it easy to find and relive your memories.
Built-in Editing Tools: Enhance your photos with a variety of built-in editing tools. Adjust lighting, apply filters, or create collages and slideshows, all within the Google Photos app.
Easy Sharing: Share photos and videos with friends and family with just a few taps. You can create shared albums, grant access permissions, and even add captions and comments to your photos.
Memories and Movie Creation: Google Photos can automatically create collages, slideshows, and even short movies from your photos and videos, highlighting special occasions or trips.

Google Photos App Download

This app that is preinstalled on most Android phones and tablets. If you don’t have it you can do a Google Photos app download from Google Play store with this link – Download Google Photos. Google Photos is also available on iOS devices such as iPhone and iPad. Open the Apple store and search on Google Photos and download it. How to install apps on Android?

**IMPORTANT – Use the same Google account (Gmail) on all devices connected to Google Photos in order to easily share and back up media files. If you don’t have a Google account, use this link to create one – New Google Account

When you connect your Android device to Google Photos, you are creating a Google Photos gallery of all your photos and videos on your Android device.

Open Google Photos
Login with your Gmail email account
Touch on your account photo in the top right corner
Touch on Photos Settings
Set the backup settings you desire

PhotoScan Google Photos

PhotoScan is a feature within the Google Photos app that allows you to digitize your physical photos with your phone. It’s designed to reduce glare and improve image quality. You can download PhotoScan from Google Play store using this link – Download PhotoScan

Steps to Use PhotoScan:

Open Google Photos: Launch the Google Photos app on your smartphone.
Access PhotoScan:
- Android: Tap the “Create” button, then select “Import from other places” followed by “PhotoScan.”
- iOS: The process might vary slightly, but generally, you’ll find it under the “Utilities” section.
Start Scanning:
- Hold your phone directly above the photo you want to scan.
- Tap the button to take a picture.
- The app will automatically take multiple shots from different angles to create a high-quality digital copy.
Adjust and Save:
- Once the scan is complete, you can rotate, crop, or adjust the image as needed.
- Save the scanned photo to your device.

Tips for Better Scans:

Lighting: Good lighting is crucial. Avoid direct sunlight or harsh shadows.
Steady Hand: Try to keep your phone as steady as possible while scanning.
Follow the Dots: Pay attention to the on-screen dots to ensure accurate scanning.
Anti-Glare: PhotoScan is designed to reduce glare, but you can further minimize it by avoiding reflective surfaces.

Note: While PhotoScan is a great tool, it might not be suitable for extremely damaged or faded photos.

How to Backup Photos using Google Photos?

Backing up your photos with Google Photos is a breeze! Here’s how to do it on your Android device:

Grab the App: Make sure you have the Google Photos app downloaded and installed on your phone. It usually comes pre-installed on most Android devices, but you can always find it for free on the Google Play Store if needed.
Sign In: Open the Google Photos app and sign in with your Google Account. This is the same account you use for Gmail, YouTube, or other Google services.
Turn on Backup & Sync: This is the key step! Tap on your profile picture or initial in the top right corner. Then, select “Photos settings” and navigate to “Back up & sync.” Here, toggle the switch on for “Back up & sync” to activate automatic backups.
Choose Your Storage Quality: While the free tier offers 15GB of storage, you can choose how your photos are backed up to optimize space. Select “Storage saver” for a compressed “high quality” version that saves space or opt for “Original” quality for uncompressed full-resolution backups (this will eat into your storage quota faster).
Let the Backup Begin: Once you’ve configured the settings, Google Photos will automatically start backing up your existing photos and videos on your device. The speed may vary depending on your internet connection and the amount of data to be uploaded.

Bonus Tip: For added peace of mind, you can also connect your phone to a charger and enable WIFI only backup under “Back up & sync settings” to avoid using your mobile data for uploads.

Open the photo, video or album you want to share. Simply touch or click on the share button and select the person or app that you want to share it with. You can also share photos and videos to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

How to use Google Photos to print a photo?

Find the photo you want to print and touch on it to open it.
Touch on the 3-dot menu in the top right corner
Scroll down the menu and Touch on Print
- How to print photos from Android?

Here are some tips for how to use Google Photos:

Back up your photos and videos: Google Photos provides storage for high-quality photos and videos. To back up your photos and videos, simply open the Google Photos app or website and touch or click on the back up button.
Organize your photos and videos: Google Photos automatically organizes your photos and videos into albums based on date, location, and people. You can also create custom albums to organize your photos and videos the way you want.
Share your photos and videos: Google Photos makes it easy to share your photos and videos with others. You can share photos and videos via email, text message, or social media. You can also create shared albums that allow others to view and add photos and videos.
Edit your photos and videos: Google Photos offers a variety of editing tools that you can use to improve your photos and videos. You can crop, rotate, adjust the brightness and contrast, and add filters to your photos. You can also trim and rotate your videos.

Save storage space on your Android phone or tablet:

How to use Google Photos to backup all your photos and videos saving space on your Android phone or tablet. How to backup your photos and videos on Android?

Once your photos or videos are backed up to Google Photos, you can delete them off your phone or tablet to save storage space, but the photo or video remains in the Google cloud and can be seen easily via the Google Photos app.

If your storage space on your Android phone or tablet is getting full, this post will help you free up storage space – How to Free up Storage Space on Android?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about How to Use Google Photos:

1. How do I upload photos and videos to Google Photos?

There are several ways to upload photos and videos to Google Photos:

From the Google Photos app: Open the app, tap the “+” icon, and select “Upload” or “Device Folders.” Choose the photos or videos you want to upload and tap “Upload.”
From the web: Go to photos.google.com and sign in with your Google account. Click the “Upload” button and select the photos or videos you want to upload.
From your computer: Open the Google Photos Backup & Sync app on your computer. Drag and drop the photos and videos you want to upload into the app.

2. How can I organize my photos and videos in Google Photos?

Google Photos offers several ways to organize your photos and videos:

Create albums: You can create albums to group photos and videos by theme, event, or date.
Use labels: Add labels to your photos and videos to make them easier to find.
Use search: Google Photos has a powerful search function that allows you to search for photos by keyword, location, date, and even people’s faces.
Create a collage: You can create a collage of your photos and videos using the Google Photos Assistant.
Make a movie: You can use the Google Photos Movie Maker to create a short movie of your photos and videos.

3. How can I share my photos and videos with others?

You can share your photos and videos with others in several ways:

Create a shared album: Invite other people to view and add photos to a shared album.
Create a public link: You can create a public link to your photos and videos that anyone can access.
Send photos and videos via email: Select the photos and videos you want to share and tap the “Share” icon. Choose “Email” and enter the email addresses of the people you want to share with.
Share photos and videos on social media: You can share your photos and videos directly to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms.

4. How can I free up storage space in Google Photos?

Google Photos offers 15GB of free storage space. If you need more storage space, you can upgrade to a Google One subscription.

Here are a few ways to free up storage space in Google Photos:

Enable “High quality” storage: This setting will compress your photos and videos, but it will save you storage space.
Delete unwanted photos and videos: Review your photos and videos and delete any that you no longer need.
Use the “Free up space” tool: This tool will automatically delete blurry, backed-up photos, and screenshots from your device.

5. How can I protect my photos and videos in Google Photos?

Google Photos offers several ways to protect your photos and videos:

Enable backup and sync: This will automatically back up your photos and videos to the cloud, so you won’t lose them if you lose your phone.
Use a strong password for your Google account: This will help to protect your photos and videos from unauthorized access.
Enable two-factor authentication: This will add an extra layer of security to your Google account.
Use the “Partner account” feature: This allows you to share your Google Photos with a trusted partner who can help you manage your photos and videos.

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