Apr 1, 2019
Best way to use Google Photos with iPhone, iPad and PC
One more related thing. I've found that if I delete a photo from either of my IOS devices with the IOS Photos app, it does NOT get deleted from Google Photos but if I do it the other way round and delete with Google Photos, It does also remove it from iCloud. Is that correct behaviour too?
Many thanks.
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Hi Keith,
Welcome to the Google Photos Product Help Forum!
>>>>Best way to use Google Photos with iPhone, iPad and PC
First, you are doing the correct thing really looking at the app and environment and trying to understand how it works! A lot of people get in trouble because they assume how things work and how they interact with other apps.
Unfortunately, there is no standard comprehensive Best Practices documentation for iOS. The major one I would say (and it is possible that somebody might disagree) is DON'T use iCloud Photo Library and Google Photos simultaneously. It might be possible to do successfully but it requires more understanding and care (and in general there is higher risk of data loss from user process errors).
Personally, and this is probably more controversial, I think it is good that you are not using Backup & Sync on your PC - My opinion is that it would add complexity and system overhead that you don't need. I do have Backup & Sync enabled on my iPad for the occasional screenshots that I might capture and want on my iPhone.
>>>>> "I found in a test that if I take a photo with my iPad, iCloud syncs it to the phone and then Google Photos picks it up from there so it seems I only need Google backup and sync in one place. Is that correct?"
No. This is confusing to me. This is not the behavior for me. I don't see photos from my iPad in my iPhone's iOS Photos App, but I do see them in Google Photos (again I DO have Backup & Sync enabled on my iPad). Look at this again check your iCloud Photo Library settings.
You will probably want to migrate all of your historical images to Google Photos. If you have hundreds or thousands of folders/directories of images you MIGHT want to use the File Explorer to find all images and copy them to a few temporary folders because UPLOAD from https://photos.google.com/u/0/ does not pick up nested folders. Some people might advocate using Backup & Sync for the initial set-up (and this MIGHT be a good idea but make sure you have a Backup if you do).. If you are interested in this you could create a new thread and somebody else might reply.
>>>> One more related thing. I've found that if I delete a photo from either of my IOS devices with the IOS Photos app, it does NOT get deleted from Google Photos but if I do it the other way round and delete with Google Photos, It does also remove it from iCloud.
This DOES make sense, however this also makes it sound like iCloud Photo Library might still be on. Another Best Practice is once you "Switch" you use the Google Photos app as your primary gallery. Only use the iOS Photos app if you want to clean up the Recently Deleted folder (and I don't recommend that unless you are critical on space).
Other:
- Remember, the Google Photos app only backs up when you open it. Watch for the "Backup complete" message.
- Never use the Garbage Can icon unless you want to delete the images everywhere (including albums and the cloud).
- Use "Free up space" from the 3 line menu to remove local copies of backed up images.
Keith, Please feel free to follow-up if anything here is unclear or if you have follow-up questions.
Others, If you have new questions, please create a new thread. Only originators and Experts replies create notifications and it is important to provide all of your environmental information, etc.
Good luck!
Best regards, Dougsap (volunteer Google Photos user)
Original Poster Keith Baker marked this as an answer
>>>>>Thank you Dougsap for a very comprehensive answer. On my iPad, under settings... Photos, I have iCloud Photos enabled and yes, any photos I take on the iPad Do make it to my IOS Photos app on my iPhone and from there to Google Photos. I was worried that if I turned on Backup and Sync on my iPad, that it would copy all the same photos that are on my phone and I'd end up with 2 copies of everything since my iPad and iPhone photo libraries are synced with iCloud.
Actually, that is a good point. I have no way of testing that. In theory, it can tell an image is the same but if it has a different name (or some types of metadata or attributes) it will probably see it as different.
>>>>>One more thought. What about "hidden" photos on IOS. It looks like they dont end up in google photos unless I unhide them. Is there anything akin to hidden photos in Google? I probably have some photos that, ahem, I'd rather not be seen by anyone who happened to come by my computer and see my Google photos running...
Correct, I believe, on the behavior.
You can use "Archive" from the 3 dot menu. The images are ~hidden~ from the "Photos" timeline but not albums or search in Google Photos. You can see them at "Archive" on the 3 line menu or https://photos.google.com/u/0/archive
Best regards, Dougsap (volunteer)
Original Poster Keith Baker marked this as an answer
All Replies (4)
Apr 1, 2019
Hi Keith,
Welcome to the Google Photos Product Help Forum!
>>>>Best way to use Google Photos with iPhone, iPad and PC
First, you are doing the correct thing really looking at the app and environment and trying to understand how it works! A lot of people get in trouble because they assume how things work and how they interact with other apps.
Unfortunately, there is no standard comprehensive Best Practices documentation for iOS. The major one I would say (and it is possible that somebody might disagree) is DON'T use iCloud Photo Library and Google Photos simultaneously. It might be possible to do successfully but it requires more understanding and care (and in general there is higher risk of data loss from user process errors).
Personally, and this is probably more controversial, I think it is good that you are not using Backup & Sync on your PC - My opinion is that it would add complexity and system overhead that you don't need. I do have Backup & Sync enabled on my iPad for the occasional screenshots that I might capture and want on my iPhone.
>>>>> "I found in a test that if I take a photo with my iPad, iCloud syncs it to the phone and then Google Photos picks it up from there so it seems I only need Google backup and sync in one place. Is that correct?"
No. This is confusing to me. This is not the behavior for me. I don't see photos from my iPad in my iPhone's iOS Photos App, but I do see them in Google Photos (again I DO have Backup & Sync enabled on my iPad). Look at this again check your iCloud Photo Library settings.
You will probably want to migrate all of your historical images to Google Photos. If you have hundreds or thousands of folders/directories of images you MIGHT want to use the File Explorer to find all images and copy them to a few temporary folders because UPLOAD from https://photos.google.com/u/0/ does not pick up nested folders. Some people might advocate using Backup & Sync for the initial set-up (and this MIGHT be a good idea but make sure you have a Backup if you do).. If you are interested in this you could create a new thread and somebody else might reply.
>>>> One more related thing. I've found that if I delete a photo from either of my IOS devices with the IOS Photos app, it does NOT get deleted from Google Photos but if I do it the other way round and delete with Google Photos, It does also remove it from iCloud.
This DOES make sense, however this also makes it sound like iCloud Photo Library might still be on. Another Best Practice is once you "Switch" you use the Google Photos app as your primary gallery. Only use the iOS Photos app if you want to clean up the Recently Deleted folder (and I don't recommend that unless you are critical on space).
Other:
- Remember, the Google Photos app only backs up when you open it. Watch for the "Backup complete" message.
- Never use the Garbage Can icon unless you want to delete the images everywhere (including albums and the cloud).
- Use "Free up space" from the 3 line menu to remove local copies of backed up images.
Keith, Please feel free to follow-up if anything here is unclear or if you have follow-up questions.
Others, If you have new questions, please create a new thread. Only originators and Experts replies create notifications and it is important to provide all of your environmental information, etc.
Good luck!
Best regards, Dougsap (volunteer Google Photos user)
Original Poster Keith Baker marked this as an answer
Apr 2, 2019
One more thought. What about "hidden" photos on IOS. It looks like they dont end up in google photos unless I unhide them. Is there anything akin to hidden photos in Google? I probably have some photos that, ahem, I'd rather not be seen by anyone who happened to come by my computer and see my Google photos running...
Thanks again!
Apr 2, 2019
>>>>>Thank you Dougsap for a very comprehensive answer. On my iPad, under settings... Photos, I have iCloud Photos enabled and yes, any photos I take on the iPad Do make it to my IOS Photos app on my iPhone and from there to Google Photos. I was worried that if I turned on Backup and Sync on my iPad, that it would copy all the same photos that are on my phone and I'd end up with 2 copies of everything since my iPad and iPhone photo libraries are synced with iCloud.
Actually, that is a good point. I have no way of testing that. In theory, it can tell an image is the same but if it has a different name (or some types of metadata or attributes) it will probably see it as different.
>>>>>One more thought. What about "hidden" photos on IOS. It looks like they dont end up in google photos unless I unhide them. Is there anything akin to hidden photos in Google? I probably have some photos that, ahem, I'd rather not be seen by anyone who happened to come by my computer and see my Google photos running...
Correct, I believe, on the behavior.
You can use "Archive" from the 3 dot menu. The images are ~hidden~ from the "Photos" timeline but not albums or search in Google Photos. You can see them at "Archive" on the 3 line menu or https://photos.google.com/u/0/archive
Best regards, Dougsap (volunteer)
Original Poster Keith Baker marked this as an answer
Google user
Apr 2, 2019
Google want accurate date & times (& timezones) for correct sorting and generally these scanned prints & slides have no original data included unless added by you in capable editing software.
Besides: Doug is completely right about his critics on Backup & Sync on computer - especially for this old stuff: it will get randomly spreaded within the library and then it becomes almost impossible to create albums.