How to Use Google Photos

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android).

   To get the most out of Google Photos features, such as automatic (and unlimited!) photo backups, install the app from your device’s app store.
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   Step 2: Tap the Search box.

   ,,, If you see an UPDATE button, Google Photos is installed but out of date.
   
   Tap UPDATE to get the latest version of the app. ,,,, This makes it so your photos automatically upload to Google Photos. , Otherwise, your phone will automatically back up your photos when you’re not on Wi-Fi.
   
   This can be costly!,, You’ll have unlimited space for uploads.
   
   Photos and videos will upload at a maximum of 1080p full HD resolution and 16 megapixels.
   
   Original:
   You’ll be able to upload higher quality photos and videos, but they’ll count against your Google quota (no matter their size).
   
   Choose this option if you’re a professional photographer who already pays for extra space in the Google cloud. ,, When it’s complete, you’ll arrive at the Photos screen. , If you also store photos on a macOS or Windows computer, you’ll want to install Google Photos Backup so they automatically back up to the cloud. ,, Follow your web browser’s prompts to save the installer to your computer. , This is different depending on your computer.Mac:
   Drag the Google Photos icon to the Applications icon.
   
   Then, double-click “Google Photos Backup.” If prompted, click Open to confirm.
   
   Windows:
   Double-click the installer in your Downloads folder. ,,, Once the sign-in is complete, you’ll see the “Choose Backup Sources” screen. , Any photos stored in one of these folders will be automatically backed up to Google Photos.
   
   If you don’t see a folder you want to back up, click Add folder and select the correct folder. , You’ll have unlimited space for uploads.
   
   Photos and videos will upload at a maximum of 1080p full HD resolution and 16 megapixels.
   
   Original:
   You’ll be able to upload higher quality photos and videos, but they’ll count against your Google quota (no matter their size).
   
   Choose this option if you’re a professional photographer who already pays for extra space in the Google cloud. , A confirmation popup will appear, letting you know that your backup has begun. , This will close the window. , It’s a rainbow pinwheel icon located at the top right (macOS) or bottom right (Windows) area of the screen (near the clock).
   
   A brief menu will appear.
   
   If you don’t see the icon on your Windows system, click the up-arrow next to the clock to show your hidden icons. , All of your backed up photos appear here. , When you launch the app, you’ll see a list of your photos you’ve added.
   
   The photos appear in the order in which they were uploaded, with the newest photos appearing first.
   
   You can also navigate your photos at http://photos.google.com. , While you’re viewing a photo in this mode, you can:
   Pinch to zoom in and out.
   
   Swipe left or right to view the next photo in that direction.
   
   Tap the Share icon to share the photo with other apps.
   
   Tap the Pencil icon to edit the photo.
   
   Tap the “i” icon to view photo details, such as the date it was taken and the size of the file.
   
   Tap the trash icon to delete the photo. ,, This will open the Search panel. , Google Photos has sorted your uploaded photos into those categories to make it easy for you to find what you’re looking for.People:
   Google tries to group similar faces in your photos.
   
   See Label Faces in Google for tips on making the most out of this feature.
   
   Places:
   Tap a location to view all photos taken there.
   
   This feature only works with photos that were taken with location data turned on.
   
   Things:
   These are sub-categories of types of photos you may be looking for, such as Selfies, Cats, Screenshots, Sunsets, etc. , Try searching for something you know is in your uploaded photos, such as “dogs” or “selfies.” If there are photos that match what you typed, they’ll appear in the search results. , Google Photos has built-in tools that can help improve the quality of your photos.
   
   You can access these tools in the mobile app or at http://photos.google.com. ,,, If the first icon on the second line of icons is blue, you’re already in this mode.
   
   Otherwise, tap that first icon (three broken horizontal lines).
   
   Here’s what you can do in this mode:
   Tap “Auto” to have Google Photos automatically correct the photo’s basic elements, such as lighting and color.
   
   Tap “Light” to access the brightness slider.
   
   Move it to the right to make the photo lighter, and to the left to darken.
   
   Tap “Color” to control the photo’s color saturation.
   
   Move the slider to the right to increase saturation, and left to decrease.
   
   Tap “Pop” to add additional vibrance to colors and shadows.
   
   Tap “Vignette” to surround the photo with darkened edges.
   
   Tap the X to cancel your changes or tap the check mark to save them. , This is the second icon in the bottom row (a square with a landscape inside).
   
   Tap any filter to see a preview.
   
   Move the slider on the screen to increase or decrease the strength of the filter.
   
   Tap the X to cancel your changes or tap the check mark to save them. , This is the third (last) icon on the bottom row in Editing mode.
   
   This tool helps you crop out just the part of the photo you want to keep.
   
   Drag the corners inward until you’ve selected just the area of the photo you want to keep.
   
   Tap the checkmark to save the cropped version of the photo.
   
   Tap the X to cancel your changes. , Automatic backups aren’t the only way to get your photos into Google Photos—you can also upload individual photos (such as photos you’ve downloaded from the internet) to Google Photos manually. , If you’re not already signed in to Google Photos, sign in when prompted. ,, To select more than one photo at a time, hold down ⌘ Cmd (macOS) or Ctrl (Windows) as you click each file. , Your photos will now upload to your Google Photos account. , You can use the Google Photos Assistant to organize your photos, create collages, and other creative projects.,,, This is at the top right corner of the mobile app (you won’t see it on the website, but that’s okay). , This is a great way to organize your photos by criteria that you choose.
   
   Click or tap the photos you want to add to the album.
   
   Click “Create.” Type a name for your album.
   
   Click or tap the check mark at the top of the screen to save your album.
   
   See Organize Photos in Google Photos for more tips on using albums to keep your photos organized. , Click or tap up to 50 photos to appear in your animation.
   
   Click or tap “Create” to view your animation. , Click or tap up to 9 photos for your collage.
   
   Click “Create” to view your collage. , Your photos are private unless you decide to share them with others.
   
   With Google Photos, you can share content with others over email, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and many other apps.Your sharing options will depend on your device and operating system. , To select more than one photo in the mobile app, tap the ⁝ icon and choose “Select,” then tap your desired photos.
   
   To select more than one photo on http://photos.google.com, hover the mouse over each thumbnail until you see a circle appear at its top left corner.
   
   Click that circle, and then click the circles in other photos you want to send. , If you’re using iOS or macOS, it’s a square with an arrow.
   
   On an Android, it’s an angle bracket with dotted ends. , The options will be different depending on your device.Choose “Get link” to create a URL to give to your desired recipient on any platform.
   
   Enter an email address to email a link to the recipient.
   
   Enter a phone number to send a text message with a link to the photo.
   
   Choose a social media app to share the photo with users of that app.
   
   The image or link will open in the app. , Once your photos are backed up to Google Photos, you don’t need to keep them on your phone or tablet.
   
   The safest way to reclaim your disk space is to use the “Free Up Space” feature in the Google Photos app., If you see thumbnails that have a crossed-out cloud icon, those photos are not backed up.
   
   Make sure your photos are backed up before attempting this method.
   
   If your photos are only set to back up on Wi-Fi, make sure your Wi-Fi connection is working properly. ,,,, Photos in these folders still take up space on your device until they expire.
   
   That’s 60 days for Android, and 30 days for iOS.
   
   If you don’t want to wait, continue with this method to learn how to permanently remove deleted photos. , In Google Photos, tap the ☰ icon and select “Trash.” Tap the ⁝ menu and select “Empty Trash.” , Return to the home screen.
   
   Tap the Photos app (the one that came with your phone).
   
   Tap “Albums” and select “Recently Deleted.” Tap “Select” at the top right corner.
   
   Tap “Delete All.”
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   Step 3: Type google photos.

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   Step 4: Select “Google Photos” from the search results.

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   Step 5: Tap GET (iOS) or INSTALL (Android).

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   Step 6: Tap OPEN.

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   Step 7: Tap GET STARTED.

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   Step 8: Sign in to your Google account as prompted.

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   Step 9: Make sure “Back Up & Sync” is on.

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    Step 10: Make sure “Use cellular data to back up” is off.

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    Step 11: Tap “Continue.”

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    Step 12: Select a photo upload size.High quality: This will work great for almost everyone.

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    Step 13: Tap “Continue.” Now you’ll see a brief tutorial.

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    Step 14: Swipe left through the tutorial.

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    Step 15: Open a web browser.

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    Step 16: Navigate to http://photos.google.com/apps.

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    Step 17: Click DOWNLOAD.

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    Step 18: Run the installer file.

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    Step 19: Click I Agree.

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    Step 20: Click Continue.

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    Step 21: Sign in to your Google account.

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    Step 22: Place checkmarks next to your photo folders.

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    Step 23: Select a photo upload size.High quality: This will work great for almost everyone.

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    Step 24: Click Start backup.

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    Step 25: Click OK.

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    Step 26: Click the Google icon.

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    Step 27: Click “View Uploaded Photos.” Google Photos will open in your default web browser.

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    Step 28: Open the Google Photos app.

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    Step 29: Tap a photo to see a larger version.

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    Step 30: Tap the back button to return to your photos.

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    Step 31: Tap the magnifying glass (mobile) or Search box (web).

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    Step 32: Scroll through the listed categories.

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    Step 33: Type something into the Search field.

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    Step 34: Open Google Photos.

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    Step 35: Tap a photo you want to edit.

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    Step 36: Tap the pencil icon to enter Editing mode.

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    Step 37: Tap the Basic Adjustments icon.

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    Step 38: Tap the Filters icon.

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    Step 39: Tap the Crop icon.

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    Step 40: Open a web browser.

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    Step 41: Navigate to http://photos.google.com.

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    Step 42: Click “Upload.” It’s at the top of the screen

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    Step 43: next to “Create.”

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    Step 44: Select the photo you want to upload.

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    Step 45: Click Open.

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    Step 46: Open Google Photos.

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    Step 47: Tap the ☰ icon.

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    Step 48: Select “Assistant.”

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    Step 49: Tap the “+” icon.

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    Step 50: Choose “Album” to create a new album.

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    Step 51: Choose “Animation” to create a short animation from your photos.

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    Step 52: Choose “Collage” to combine several photos into a single image.

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    Step 53: Open Google Photos.

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    Step 54: Tap or click a photo you want to share.

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    Step 55: Tap the Share icon.

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    Step 56: Select your desired sharing method.

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    Step 57: Open the Google Photos app.

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    Step 58: Make sure your photos are backed up.

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    Step 59: Tap the ☰ icon.

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    Step 60: Tap “Settings.”

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    Step 61: Tap “Free up device storage.” A popup will appear

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    Step 62: letting you know how many photos will be deleted and how much space you’ll reclaim.

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    Step 63: Tap “Delete.” The photos will be moved to Trash (Android) or Recently Deleted Photos (iOS)

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    Step 64: so you can restore them if necessary.

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    Step 65: Remove photos from the Trash in Android.

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    Step 66: Remove photos from Recently Deleted Photos on iOS.

Detailed Guide

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