Google Photos FAQ because I have only recently started using Google Photos and there are a few core questions I need answers for.
Q. How to View my Google Photos online?
In your browser, go to: photos.google.com/
(As long as you are logged into any of Google’s products [e.g. Gmail, Google Drive] you are already logged into the whole of Google’s ecosystem and you will be brought directly to your photos in your Google Photos).
Q. What happens when you take a photo/screenshot from your device?
The photos will appear across your devices in:
- all devices’ default Photos app
- all devices’ Google Photos app
- in your online Google Photos (at photos.google.com/) – but only if Google Photo’s Backup & Sync function is turned on, on any one of your devices.
As soon as it appears in a device’s default Photos, it will also appear in that device’s Google Photos app even with the Backup & Sync function turned off. So it seems that the Backup & Sync function in Google Photos app has only to do with uploading to your account in the cloud.
Q. I have photos in my (Apple’s) Shared Libraries. Will they automatically get uploaded and synced to Google Photos?
No. None of the photos in (Apple’s) shared libraries will be automatically uploaded. You need to “save image” to save it to your main “All Photos” (default main photo folder). Photos in your main photos folders are the photos that are automatically uploaded and synced to Google Photos.
Q. What happens when I delete a photo from Google Photos on my device?
This is where it gets a bit confusing and weird. If you delete a photo from Google Photos from any one of your devices, that photo will be deleted:
- from Google Photos on all your devices
- from your devices’ default Photos
- AND from your online Google Photos – even if the Backup & Sync is turned off!!!
Q. What happens when I delete a photo from my online Google Photos?
Stranger and Stranger!
When you delete a photos from one of your online Google Photos, it will delete it from online and your Google Photos app (only if that device has the Backup & Sync turned on); but NOT from your default Photos app!!!
Q. What happens when I delete a photo from a device’s default Photos app?
Stranger and Stranger and Stranger!
When you delete a photos from one of your device’s Photos app, it will only be deleted from your Photos app. The photo will remain in your Google Photos app!
CONCLUSION re, Deletions:
If you:
- delete from Google Photos app ==> will delete from
• Google Photos,
• online Google Photos (even if Backup & Sync is not turned on!),
• default Photos - delete from online Google Photos ==> will delete from
• online Google Photos,
• Google Photos (only if the Backup & Sync function is turned on on that device) - delete from default Photos app ==> will delete only from
• Photos
Deleting from Google Photos will delete everywhere
(except your default Photos‘ Shared Library/Albums).
Q. Can I share a photo from within Google Photos to my default Photos‘ Shared Album(s)?
Yes. In exactly the same way as you would from within Photos app.
Q. How long has Google Photos been around?
Google Photos was launched in 2015. (I just recently heard of it and it is now 2019!)
Q. Can I recover deleted photos?
Yes you can. But recovery is (or seems to be) specific to the app.
For example, as mentioned above if you deleted a photo from Google Photos on one of your devices, it would have been deleted from both Google Photos and Photos on all your devices, and from your online Google Photos.
In that instance you can still find the deleted photo:
- in Recently Deleted folder of default Photos app
- in Bin of Google Photos app:-
sandwich/hamburger icon >> Bin
(sandwich/hamburger icon is the 3 horizontal bars)
You can restore it from either. But then it gets a bit inconsistent again.
If you Recover the deleted photo via the Photos app, it will appear only in All Photos of the Photos app – most of the time. But sometimes, it could also appear back in Google Photos!
If you Restore a deleted photo via Google Photos, then it will only reappear in Google Photos.
Maybe some day they will be able to provide more consistent behaviours.
Q. What do the symbols in Google Photos app mean?
I don’t know many of them yet but will add here when I do.
Uploading or syncing to your online Google Photos.
Not synced/uploaded (to online/cloud)
Removed (not sure about this yet)
FOOTNOTE:
I am leaving this for now and may include more Google Photos FAQs later as and when I have to investigate additional features.
References:
- PC Mag: 30 Tricks to Master Google Photos (Mar 2019) – definitely worth reading. It contains lots of useful info from edits, Google Drive, Lens, Shared Albums, editing photo(s), and more.
Your Comments? Tips to share?