Google Photos is an image hosting and storage service created by Google. It was introduced in 2015 as a standalone service separate from Google Drive and Google+. Google Photos provides unlimited free storage for photos up to 16MP and videos up to 1080p resolution. As of November 2020, Google Photos has over 1 billion users who upload over 4.6 billion new photos every day.
When photos and videos are uploaded to Google Photos, they are automatically analyzed and organized using machine learning. This allows users to easily search their entire photo library by people, places, or things. Google Photos can also create animations, collages, movies, and other creations automatically from user photos and videos. Overall, Google Photos aims to provide a simple, powerful photo management service integrated with other Google products.
According to the July 2019 article “Google Photos passes the 1 billion users mark” on The Verge (https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/24/20708328/google-photos-users-gallery-go-1-billion), Google Photos reached over 1 billion monthly active users just four years after launch. This demonstrates the popularity and rapid adoption of the photo service.
Cloud Storage
When you upload photos to Google Photos, they are stored in Google’s cloud servers, not on the user’s device (About your Google Photos activity and storage). The photos exist on secure servers in Google’s data centers instead of taking up space on your smartphone, computer, or other devices. This allows you to access your photos from anywhere by logging into your Google Account.
Google provides 15GB of free cloud storage that is shared between Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. Pixels can receive unlimited free storage for photos uploaded at high quality, not original quality (About your Google Photos activity and storage). Additional storage can be purchased if needed. With cloud storage, you don’t have to worry about your device’s storage capacity when backing up photos.
Data Centers
Google stores photos and other user data in large data centers located around the world. Some of Google’s major data center locations include:
- Dublin, Ireland (source)
- Eemshaven, Netherlands (source)
- Fredericia, Denmark (source)
- Hamina, Finland (source)
- St. Ghislain, Belgium (source)
- Lenoir, North Carolina, USA (source)
Google operates over 20 data centers around the world, strategically placed to provide fast and reliable service for users globally.
Security
Google employs a number of security measures to keep your photos safe in the cloud. All data stored in Google Cloud is encrypted at rest by default, meaning the data is encrypted before being written to disk (https://www.wiz.io/academy/google-cloud-security-best-practices). Data is encrypted using AES 256-bit encryption, which is an industry standard. Google also enables Transport Layer Security (TLS) by default on all data in transit between Google data centers (https://www.pingsafe.com/blog/google-cloud-security-best-practices/).
Access to Google Cloud resources and data is controlled through Identity and Access Management (IAM). IAM allows administrators to specify who can access which resources and what actions they can perform. Multi-factor authentication is also recommended for all Google Cloud accounts to add an extra layer of security.
Google also implements security measures at the physical data center level. Data centers are monitored 24/7 and access is strictly controlled. Facilities are equipped with fire suppression, power backup systems, and climate control (https://www.pingsafe.com/blog/google-cloud-security/).
Accessibility
One of the best features of storing photos in Google Photos is the accessibility from any device with an internet connection. As long as you are signed into your Google account, you can access your entire Google Photos library from your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer (1). This makes Google Photos incredibly convenient for viewing and sharing photos anytime, anywhere.
Google Photos also has built-in accessibility features to make the service usable for everyone. On Android, Google Photos works with TalkBack, screen readers, screen magnification and other accessibility services to provide a good experience for users with disabilities (2). On iOS, it is compatible with Apple’s accessibility features like VoiceOver. The Google Photos apps on both platforms also support gestures and keyboard shortcuts for navigation.
So no matter what device you are using or your accessibility needs, Google Photos makes it easy to access your photo library on the go.
Sources:
(1) https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6193313?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
(2) https://support.google.com/photos/answer/6191058?hl=en-gb&ref_topic=6131427
Storage Space
Google Photos offers two storage options: free storage up to 15GB and paid storage plans. The free 15GB of storage is shared across all Google services, including Gmail, Drive, and Photos. Once you reach the 15GB limit, you will no longer be able to upload new photos and videos to Google Photos unless you purchase a storage plan.Google Drive Extra Storage || Google Drive Storage Plans …
Google offers paid storage plans if you need additional space beyond the free 15GB. There are three paid plans available:
- 100GB for $1.99/month
- 200GB for $2.99/month
- 2TB for $9.99/month
The paid plans allow you to store additional photos and videos beyond the 15GB free limit. With a paid plan, Google Photos has a storage limit of over 1 million photos and videos combined.
Photo Size
Google Photos compresses images uploaded to the cloud in order to save storage space. The level of compression depends on the quality setting chosen when backing up photos. The “High quality” setting compresses photos to 16MP, while the “Storage saver” setting uses more aggressive compression to further reduce file sizes (source).
For example, an original 7.3MB photo could be compressed down to 5.7MB using the High quality setting. The Storage saver setting compresses even more – photos larger than 16MP may be resized to 16MP and converted to JPEG format (source). While the compression leads to some loss of quality, for most users the differences are negligible for photos viewed on phones, laptops and tablets (source).
The compression allows users to back up an unlimited number of photos and videos without worrying about storage limits. Overall, Google Photos provides a good balance between preserving quality and reducing file sizes through compression.
Backups
Google Photos automatically backs up all the photos and videos you upload to the cloud. You don’t have to worry about losing any of your precious memories stored in Google Photos due to hardware failure, accidental deletion, or other disasters.
Google uses advanced data replication and redundancy techniques to ensure your photos have multiple backup copies stored across data centers around the world. If any one data center goes down due to power outage, flooding, or other catastrophic events, your photos remain safe and accessible from other data center locations.
Google also allows you to download your entire Google Photos library if you want to have local backup copies on your own external hard drives. But for most users, the automatic cloud backups provided by Google are sufficient protection against disasters or data loss.
The bottom line is you can rest assured the photos you entrust to Google Photos are securely backed up both online and offline, virtually eliminating any risk of your memories ever being lost.
Deleting Photos
When you delete photos from Google Photos, they are moved to the trash folder for 60 days before being permanently deleted. During this time, you can restore deleted photos if you change your mind. After 60 days, the photos are permanently deleted from Google Photos cloud storage and all other devices synced to your account.
It’s important to note that deleting a photo from Google Photos does not automatically delete the photo from your synced devices. The photo will remain in your device’s local storage even after you delete it from Google Photos. The only way to also remove the photo from your device is to manually delete it from your device’s gallery after deleting it in Google Photos.
If you want to free up device storage space, make sure to delete photos both in Google Photos and on your device. Likewise, if you delete a photo on your device but want to keep it in Google Photos, you’ll need to back up that photo again. There is no official way to delete Google Photos content without impacting your device storage. You can read more tips on selectively deleting photos here.
Conclusion
In summary, storing photos in Google cloud offers several key benefits. The photos are securely stored in Google’s reliable data centers located around the world, providing protection against data loss and ensuring high availability. Users can access their photos from any device, anywhere there is an internet connection. Storage space starts at 15GB for free and can be upgraded affordably as needed. Photos are compressed by Google to optimize storage space. Backups happen automatically to prevent photo loss. Finally, users can easily delete photos to free up storage space.
Cloud services like Google Photos provide a convenient, safe and accessible place to store one’s irreplaceable photos. The peace of mind from secure backups and worldwide access makes Google cloud a smart choice for photo storage.