To delete the local copy you need to delete the file permanently from Drive’s Trash. The Backup and Sync client showed the following notification on our system when Google Drive’s copy of image was deleted from the service’s Trash folder:Ĭonclusion: Deleting merely from Google Photos doesn’t affect Google Drive’s copy or local system copy. We confirmed this at our end, observing that deleting the image in Google Drive’s Trash deleted not only the local copy but the one that was in Google Photos’ Trash as well. Moving on, if you want the local copy to get deleted when you delete the image from cloud, you have to delete the image that’s currently in Google Drive’s Trash. But now, if you delete the picture in question from Trash on Google Photos, it will neither affect the local copy of that image in your computer nor the one that’s currently in Google Drive’s Trash. The aforementioned deletion operation not only moved the image to Google Photos’ Trash but also moved the same file in Google Drive to the Trash folder there. We selected the photo that was just uploaded to Google Photos – as can be seen in the screenshot belowĪnd then deleted it using the MOVE TO TRASH option. Use Case 1: Delete synced picture from Google photos
For the record, the Upload photos and videos to Google Photos option and the Ask me before removing items everywhere option were enabled in the client’s Preferences menu. Now, in order to test how Backup and Sync handles deletion operations, we created a folder on our system’s Desktop and populated it with a picture which was immediately synced to Google Drive and Photos through the client. It has three values to choose from: Remove items everywhere, Don’t remove items everywhere (set by default), and Ask me before removing items everywhere. In case the Upload photos and videos to Google Photos option was enabled during setup (or a similar option – shown below – was enabled in the Preferences menu), photos and videos are also backed up on Google Photos (in addition to Drive).Īnother point worth discussing is the Removing items option in the Preferences menu. How Backup and Sync handles delete operations for Google Photos and Google Driveīefore we begin discussing the delete use-cases we tested, it’s worth keeping in mind that Backup and Sync uploads stuff to Google Drive by default. Where as when the client is downloaded through Google Photos, the storage is by default set to High quality. This could be the potential reason for storage menace. For Backup and Sync downloaded through Google Drive, the storage option is by default set to Original quality.Unlike Drive’s variant, if the client is installed through Google Photos, there comes a separate option inquiring about whether you wish to only Backup photos and videos to Google Photos and Drive or Backup all file types to Google Drive along with pictures and videos to Google Photos.Wile some say they are same, we observed a couple of significant differences between the two variants. Difference between Backup and Sync for Photos and Backup and Sync for DriveĪs you might have observed, Backup and sync can be downloaded from both Google Drive as well as Google Photos website. So we thought of digging-in deep to see and bring up the actual connection between the three, focusing on areas like how the client varies in case of Photos and Drive, as well as how it handles deletion operations in various use cases. Click Open Drive for desktop at the end of the wizard to get started.Aside from being buggy, Backup and Sync can get highly confusing being a common client for both Google Drive and Google Photos.Do not uninstall Backup and Sync until the transition is complete. If applicable, after Google Drive for desktop is set up, Backup and Sync will be uninstalled.The wizard will copy your settings and guide you through set up.If the account you are signing in with is also signed into Backup and Sync on your computer, a setup wizard will launch.If you have multiple accounts signed in to Backup and Sync, you will be given the opportunity to move them all to Drive for desktop. Sign in when the application starts using the account that received this email.macOS: Open Applications > Google Drive.
Run the installer and complete the installation steps.
GOOGLE PHOTOS BACKUP VS BACKUP AND SYNC DOWNLOAD
Users should complete the following steps to download and run Drive for desktop: It also allows you to sync files between your computer and the cloud, and to upload files to Google Drive and Google Photos from external devices.īackup and Sync will remain available until October, 2021, after which users will not be able to sign in to Backup and Sync.
Drive for desktop allows you to sync local folders to Google Drive and Google Photos. Google is transitioning Backup and Sync to a new file syncing app called Google Drive for desktop.