Choose the backup quality of your photos & videos

You can change the backup quality of your photos and videos to fit your preferences or save storage space. Each Google Account comes with 15 GB of storage and you can always buy more storage or clean up your storage space.

Important:

• If you're inactive in Google Photos for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted. Learn about the Google Photos inactivity policy.
• If you’re over your storage limit for 2 years or more, your content may be deleted. Learn more about how your Google storage works.

Learn about your backup options

Original quality

Photos and videos are stored in the same resolution that you took them with no change to their quality.

• Photos and videos backed up in Original quality count toward your Google Account storage.
• Recommended for photos that have more than 16 MP and videos with more than 1080p.
• Recommended for printing large banners.

Storage saver

Important: Any photos or videos you backed up in High quality, now called Storage saver, before June 1, 2021 don't count toward your Google Account storage. Learn how to check a photo's backup quality.

Photos and videos are stored at a slightly reduced quality.

• Photos and videos backed up in Storage saver count toward your Google Account storage. 
• Photos are compressed to save space. If a photo is larger than 16 MP, it'll be resized to 16 MP.
  • You can print good quality 16 MP photos in sizes up to 24 inches x 16 inches.
• Videos higher than 1080p will be resized to high-definition 1080p. A video with 1080p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.
• In some circumstances, certain photos and videos may not be able to be compressed and will be stored at their original file size.

Express

Important: Any photos or videos you’ve backed up in Express quality before June 1, 2021 don't count toward your Google Account storage.

If you can't find this option in your backup settings, it isn't available in your country or region.

• Photos and videos backed up in Express quality count toward your Google Account storage.
• Photos may be compressed to use less mobile data. If a photo is larger than 3 MP, it'll be resized to 3 MP.
• You can print good quality 3 MP photos in sizes up to 6 inches x 8 inches.
• Videos higher than 480p will be resized to standard definition 480p. A video with 480p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.
• In some circumstances, certain photos and videos may not be compressed and will be stored at their original file size.

Reduce the size of your photos & videos

If you have photos in Original quality and want to save some storage space, change your already backed-up photos and videos to Storage saver (previously named High quality). This setting won't appear if you have unlimited storage for Google Photos.

Important:

• You can only recover storage once a day. Storage recovery won’t change the quality of your future uploads.
• In some circumstances, certain photos and videos may not be able to be compressed and will be stored at their original file size.

1. On your computer, go to photos.google.com.
2. At the top, click Settings Manage storage.
3. Under “Recover storage,” click Convert existing photos & videos to Storage saver.

Change your backup quality

1. On your computer, open photos.google.com/settings.
2. Select a backup quality.

Tip: To check backup quality and size, go to a photo or video and click Info . You can find backup details under "Details."