How to move photos from google photos to google drive

Google has now officially uncoupled Google Photos from Google Drive, and the two Google storage services no longer automatically keep their photos in sync. That means photos you've uploaded to one service, and any changes you make to them, no longer reliably show up in the other place. 

Google says it made the change because some people found the relationship confusing. But if you like having your photos synced, we've found a workaround that can help you keep Google Drive and Google Photos in lockstep. And to help, Google has a tool to help you keep the two apps in sync.

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Google's Backup and Sync app

Google's Backup and Sync app for Windows or Mac will back up photos from your computer, camera or SD card to Google Drive and Photos, and the app will upload a copy to both Google services for you. Here's how you set it up.

1. If you haven't already, download Backup and Sync to your PC or Mac.

2. Follow the instructions to install it and sign in.

3. If it asks, grant the app permission to access your photos.

4. The app will install a folder on your computer called Google Drive, and you can drag photos and documents onto the folder to sync its contents with Google Drive on Google's servers.

5. To sync other folders on your computer with Drive, open Backup and Sync preferences and select the folders you'd like to sync, such as Documents or Pictures.

How to copy photos from Google Drive to Google Photos

Another option is to move photos and videos from Drive over to Photos using the new Google Photos Upload tool. The tool doesn't sync these duplicate files, however, so changes you make in one spot won't affect the copy kept in the other spot. 

And note: If you save your photos using the Original full-resolution setting, those duplicate files will count twice toward your Drive storage cap, instead of once, like they do now. And you'll need to use Google Photos on your Mac or PC.

1. In Google Photos, tap Upload in the top right corner.

2. To copy photos over from Drive, tap Google Drive in the menu.

3. Select the image or images you want to copy from Drive and then tap Upload at the bottom right of the window.

You'll see a message saying your selection is being uploaded to Photos.

How to sync your photos with Google Drive using the Google Photos

You can also check that your Google Photos app is syncing with your Google Photos library on Google's servers.

1. In the Google Photos app, tap the hamburger menu and then tap Settings.

2. Tap Back up & Sync and then check you've toggled it on and you're backing up to the correct account.

3. While you are here, in Device Folders, you can set other folders on your phone to sync with your Google Photos library.

Published June 14.

Updates, June 18: Edited for clarity; Sept. 1: Edited for clarity.

I have a lot of photos in Google Drive, in random folders.

I want to move them to Google Photos, because I really like the phone/tablet application - while the web app is... less good.

I have no idea how to do that. I moved them to some magical folder in Google Drive called "Google Photos". I have no idea what that folder does - it seems to be auto-synced with Google Photos in the way Google Photos app -> Google Photos folder, but not the other way (folder -> app) - nothing I put there appears in the actual Google Photos app.

How do I put the photos there? There are both in Google Drive, I can see both "Google Photos" and my old photos in Google Drive web app, but I cannot move them there no matter how much I try.

edit:

In this confusing help article which makes the relation between Google Drive and Google Photos even less clear, Google tells me to click on "search" and then "Google Drive". That produces "No results" on both android app and web app.

How do I move my entire gallery to Google Drive?

Is it better to store photos in Google Drive or Google Photos?

Are Google Photos and Google Drive linked?