Google Photos is a fantastic way to run into your photos and the powerful search makes it easy to detect pictures of certain people, places or times. Before 1 June 2021, Google did offer unlimited free storage for photos. At present, things have changed.

You lot but go 15GB of Google storage in total, which counts files on your Google Drive and Gmail, besides as Google Photos. Therefore, if you lot want to upload more photos and videos that will take your limit past 15GB, yous'll demand to purchase more storage with Google One.

At that place'south iv tiers of storage currently on Google One. These are:

  • fifteen GB - Free
  • 100 GB - £1.59 per calendar month/£15.99 per year
  • 200 GB - £2.49 per month/£24.99 per year
  • 2 TB - £7.99 per month/£79.99 per year

Sadly, no unlimited storage option is currently available. You'll have to await at other Cloud storage options if you want that. You lot can also make more than room for photos and video past immigration out big files on your Google Drive.

There's no need to worry most existing files from earlier 1 June, as these photos volition remain on Google's servers and won't exist deleted or blocked if you don't pay - that'due south a common misconception.

If, like me, you have a photo library full of pictures you took prior to owning a smartphone, chances are they're saturday on a hard drive somewhere. Google hasn't made it easy to upload them, just hither'southward are 2 ways to upload every single photo, one of which is automatic.

Upload to Google Photos via a web browser

Before I get to the best mode, hither's the obvious way: head to photos.google.com and click on Upload.

How to upload to Google Photos from Windows

Unfortunately, the piece of cake way won't work for well-nigh people because the Upload pick in Google Photos will but upload the contents of a single folder.

Most people keep their photos in multiple folders then they accept 'albums' for different occasions. Unless you're willing to go through dozens or fifty-fifty hundreds of folders and copy – or move – those photos into a single binder, y'all won't exist able to use this option.

Y'all could laboriously use the Upload button for each folder you have simply, again, that's impractical if you have a hundred or more than.

TIP: Before y'all upload all your photos, upload i or two and check that Google Photos tin can correctly identify when they were taken. Otherwise, you lot'll have a tough time finding them once again.

In one case uploaded, you should be able to enter the date it was taken, such as '22 May 2000' and all photos from that date should be shown. If not, search for the verbal filename of the photo you simply uploaded, and Google Photos should show it. Click the i symbol at the summit and you'll run into the info for that photograph.

How to upload to Google Photos

If there is a trouble and the 'date taken' isn't identified correctly, you lot'll need to utilize a tool to edit this metadata.

One time you've hit the limit of what you can upload, Google will inform you. If you need more infinite, you lot tin can become a premium Google I business relationship.

Upload to Google Photos via Backup & Sync

And and so we come to the best option for uploading your whole photo library to Google Photos. Information technology involves downloading Google's Fill-in & Sync utility, choosing a binder or folders to sync, then leaving information technology to upload the photos, every bit well as any videos in those folders.

If those folders happen to be on a NAS bulldoze as mine were, yous may find you cannot select the root folder in Backup & Sync. The workaround is to create a folder within that (telephone call it upload or any you lot like), so movement all your folders of photos into that.

Hither, step by stride, is how to go about installing Backup & Sync and uploading all those snaps to Google Photos.

Note: this only works for Windows computers and you lot'd demand to install the Google Photos app on Android or iPhone if yous want to upload the photographic camera roll from your phone. This guide is primarily aimed at those who've already done that and now want to upload photos stored on their Windows laptop or PC.

i. First, caput to the Google Photos website https://photos.google.com/apps and click the Download push.

How to upload to Google Photos

2. When the file is downloaded, click on it in your spider web browser, or navigate to the folder where downloaded files are stored – usually Downloads. Double-click on the file (chosen installbackupandsync.exe) and click the Become STARTED button.

How to upload to Google Photos

3. You'll need to sign into your Google account, the 1 you use for Google Photos.

4. On the 'set-up' screen, cull Support photos and videos.

How to upload to Google Photos

5. Next, you need to tell Backup & Sync which folders your photos are in. This could be as unproblematic as clicking the box next to Pictures, but if your photos are stored elsewhere, such as another binder on your hard bulldoze, on an external drive or on a NAS drive, click Choose FOLDER and navigate to it.

How to upload to Google Photos

You tin sync multiple folders, only you can't select multiple folders at the same fourth dimension.

half dozen. Select the quality you want for your photo/video - Storage Saver takes upwardly less room, just compresses the file. Meanwhile Original Quality will non compress the files, just will take up more storage in your quota.

vii. Click Commencement and Fill-in & Sync will begin uploading photos and videos in the folder(south) you lot've called to Google Photos.

8. If you want to cheque on progress, click the ^ symbol on the Windows Taskbar and click the fiddling white deject symbol. You'll come across a scrolling list of the files existence uploaded.

How to upload to Google Photos

How long information technology volition take to upload all your photos and videos will depend on the full corporeality of information to exist uploaded and the upload speed of your internet connexion, which is typically a lot slower than the download speed.

Get out your laptop or computer on while information technology's uploading the files. In my instance, with a 16Mbps upload speed, it took around 24 hours to upload xxx,000 photos and videos from hundreds of folders on a NAS bulldoze.

Again, the amount you'll be able to upload will depend on the corporeality of storage you have in your Google 1 account.

Related articles for further reading

  • Best alternatives to Google Photos
  • What to do when Google Photos free storage ends
  • How to download all your photos from Google Photos in one go