If y'all haven't heard however, Google has changed its policy regarding Photos. Here'south how this plays out: Prior to June 1, 2021, uploads to Google Photos didn't utilise to your total Google Bulldoze storage. With your base of operations storage, you lot could upload equally many photos and videos equally you lot wanted and it wouldn't count toward your Drive total. If you have the free 200GB of Google Bulldoze storage, you lot could upload over 200GB of Photos and it wouldn't matter.

Starting June i, 2021, those photos and videos volition count toward your Google Drive storage. If yous accept 200GB of complimentary storage and yous upload 200GB of photos and videos, you're out of storage space and will have to purchase more. Fortunately, Google Drive storage is cheap. For instance, for $9.99/month, you get 2 TB of storage.

Regardless of how much yous pay for your storage, the point here is that, as of today, everything changes and you'll need to keep a close watch on how much space your photos are taking upwards on Google Drive.

Or, you lot can practise what I exercise and back up photos to a different service altogether.

I'll evidence you what I practice, so you lot can get a good thought of how to go about shifting your Google Photos backups to another platform.

I use Nextcloud. It'south probably the easiest solution I've found for this procedure. Nonetheless, here'due south a word of alert for my setup: my Nextcloud instance is LAN-only. That means my photos and videos only back upwards when my phone is connected to my LAN. Information technology also ways I cannot access those backups unless I'm connected to my LAN. That'due south fine for me. If I really wanted to, I could deploy Nextcloud in such a style that I could admission it from the WAN. At the moment, that'due south not necessary.

Permit me prove y'all how.

Come across: Electronic communication policy (TechRepublic Premium)

What you'll need

To make this piece of work, you'll need a running case of Nextcloud (notice out how to install Nextcloud twenty on Ubuntu Server xx.04) and the Nextcloud app installed on your Android device.

If you lot opt to go with the LAN-only solution, the server and Android device will need to be on the same wireless network, for the fill-in to work.

How to support photos to Nextcloud

The first thing you have to determine is if you're going to disable backups to Google Drive. You lot might consider this if you're coming close to your reaching your Google Drive storage limit. Residual assured, if you disable fill-in and sync in Google Photos, information technology will non delete your photos from your device, nor will it delete photos from Bulldoze. If you disable fill-in and sync, it will no longer back up whatsoever photograph or video you accept with your Android device. That's fine because nosotros're going to be using a different service.

One of the reasons I chose to back upwards Android photos and videos to a LAN-based Nextcloud option is considering:

  • Information technology'due south free
  • I can command how much storage is bachelor

With the Nextcloud app installed on your Android device, and your Nextcloud instance running, make sure to tap the Login push button at the start screen and when prompted, type the address of your Nextcloud server, in the grade https://192.168.1.120/nextcloud (Effigy A).

Figure A

Logging in to Nextcloud from Android xi running on a Google Pixel v.

Once you've successfully logged in to the Nextcloud app, configure the backups by going to Settings | Motorcar Upload. In this section, you'll need to tap the cloud icon to enable each section yous want to automatically support to Nextcloud. If the deject is only an outline with a line through it, that means the category isn't being backed upwardly. If the cloud is blue, it means the category is backed up (Figure B).

Figure B

My Camera (for both photos and videos) is prepare to back up to Nextcloud.

You will want to enable both camera options (for photos and video). If yous want to have Nextcloud organize your photos past year and month, you'll need to tap the three vertical dots associated with the category and tap Configure. In the resulting popup, make sure to tap the checkbox for Use Subfolders (Effigy C).

Effigy C

Configuring Nextcloud to organize photos with subfolders.

Depending on how many photos/videos you have on your device, this could take some time to complete. In one case the upload is finished, brand sure to verify your photos take backed up to Nextcloud and then disable backup and sync to Google Bulldoze by opening the Google Photos app and follow these steps:

  1. Tap your profile photograph in the upper-right corner.
  2. Tap Photos Settings.
  3. Tap Dorsum Up & Sync.
  4. Tap the On/Off slider until it's in the Off position (Figure D).

Figure D

Disabling Google Photos Back up & Sync on Android xi.

That's information technology. At this betoken, Google Photos will not dorsum upward to Google Drive and, instead, will back up to Nextcloud. 1 of the nice things about this setup is that automobile backup will suspension if your device isn't on the same network equally Nextcloud. As soon as you're on the same Wi-Fi network, the backup will outset.

This is a great solution for Google Photos, especially if you lot tin fix a Nextcloud on-premises cloud server on your LAN. Give information technology a try and see if y'all don't find it a convenient, reliable way effectually your Android photos and videos gobbling upwards your Google Drive infinite.

Subscribe to TechRepublic'southward How To Make Tech Piece of work on YouTube for all the latest tech communication for business pros from Jack Wallen.


Image: Google Photos