Samsung is rolling out updates to its Gallery app that will allow users to back up photos to Google Photos instead of OneDrive. The change comes after the company removed OneDrive integration earlier this year, leaving Galaxy device users without a built-in cloud backup option. The update aims to restore seamless cloud storage functionality for Samsung smartphone owners who rely on the Gallery app for managing their media.
The shift to Google Photos reflects Samsung’s response to user feedback following the removal of OneDrive support. Previously, Samsung Gallery offered native cloud backup through Microsoft’s service, but that feature was discontinued without an immediate replacement. Now, with the new update, users can link their Google accounts directly within the Gallery app to enable automatic photo and video backups. This restores a key convenience for those who prefer not to rely on third-party apps for cloud storage.
Once the update is installed, users will see an option to enable Google Photos backup inside the Gallery app settings. After signing in with a Google account, photos and videos will sync automatically in the background, similar to how OneDrive previously functioned. The backup includes full-resolution media by default, though users can adjust quality settings to save storage space. Samsung has confirmed that the feature is being rolled out gradually across regions and device models.
Existing OneDrive users will not lose access to their previously backed-up content, but new backups will no longer be saved to OneDrive through the Gallery app. Those who wish to continue using OneDrive must do so via the standalone Microsoft app or other manual methods. Samsung has not indicated plans to restore OneDrive integration, signaling a clear move toward Google Photos as the preferred cloud partner for Gallery moving forward.
Is the Google Photos backup feature available on all Samsung devices? The update is being rolled out in phases, so availability may vary by device model and region. Users should check for updates in the Galaxy Store or Google Play Store to see if the feature is accessible on their specific phone.
Does using Google Photos backup through Gallery affect photo quality? By default, photos are backed up in original quality, but users can choose to enable storage saver mode, which compresses images slightly to reduce space usage. This setting can be adjusted in the Gallery app under backup preferences.
Can I still use other cloud services like Dropbox or Amazon Photos with Samsung Gallery? While the Gallery app now prioritizes Google Photos for native backup, users can still manually export or share media to other services. However, automatic, seamless backup is currently only supported for Google Photos through this update.