10 reasons to choose Google Photos for storing photos

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

More than a month has passed since the presentation of the Google Photos service. However, not all users have appreciated the advantages of this photo hosting and its differences from competitors. Therefore, we decided to devote a separate article to this topic.

"Google Photos" (Google Photos) is a new service from Google, which is designed to store, organize, showcase your photos and videos. There are dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android, as well as a web interface that runs right in the browser. This article is dedicated specifically to the web service, and we will talk about mobile clients sometime next time.

1. Uploading files

If you need to upload files from the desktop to the Google Photos cloud, then for this you can use a special program, the link to which you will find on this one (Windows and Mac OS X). In addition, it is possible to manually upload photos and videos. Just find the desired folder in the file manager and drag it to the service page. The download will start automatically, and the tooltip in the lower left corner will inform you about its progress.

2. Unlimited photo storage space

All owners of extensive photo archives will be gladdened by the fact that they have finally received a convenient photo hosting service with unlimited storage space. To do this, it is enough to enable high quality saving of files in the Google Photos settings. You are allowed to store an unlimited number of photos and videos taken with your phone or camera with a resolution of no more than 16 megapixels. This is quite enough for most common purposes, including printing photographs.

3. Definition of duplicates

If there are duplicates among the uploaded photos, then Google Photos will automatically identify them and leave only one copy. At the same time, the smart algorithms of the service are able to identify identical pictures not only using EXIF analysis, but also by comparing the captured objects.

4. Smart search

This feature is a killer feature of Google Photos, which, in general, is not surprising given its origin. All your photos go through a multi-stage analysis system that automatically recognizes the objects depicted on them and assigns tags based on them. This system works so well that it is able to recognize even many places where photographs were taken. Thus, you can type, for example, in the search bar "2013 Carpathians berries" and see exactly those photos that correspond to these parameters.

5. Selecting files

The Google Photos web interface uses the same selection rules as most file managers. To select a set of images, just click on the first and then on the last, but with the Shift key held down. And if you need to select images randomly, then click on them while holding down the Ctrl key.

6. Autocreative

Another unique feature of Google Photos, which we have not seen analogues in any photo hosting service. It lies in the fact that the service automatically creates various animations, collages, panoramas and films from your photos. Algorithms created by Google programmers are so skillful in selecting suitable photos, and then processing them, that inevitably you begin to think about the prospects of computer intelligence. To demonstrate the results of this digital creativity, there is a special section "Assistant" where you can view and save your favorite works.

7. Built-in editor

If you do not really like any photo, then you can easily correct it in the built-in editor. You can manually play around with the brightness, contrast, and chroma sliders, but I recommend hitting the auto-correction button because, as we found out earlier, Google Photos' silicon brains are very smart. In addition, you can apply all sorts of fashionable effects to photos, as well as crop or rotate the image.

8. Deleting files

Please note that if you delete files from Google Photos with autoload and synchronization enabled, they will be simultaneously deleted from all your devices on which the client of this service is installed. However, they are not deleted immediately, but are preliminarily placed in the trash, from where you can easily restore them if you wish. Files remain in the trash for 60 days, after which they are permanently deleted.

9. Content types

If you want to quickly view files of only a certain type, then you need to click on the search bar, and then scroll to the bottom of the page. Here you will find thematic sections, created based on the analysis of the content of your pictures, as well as sections such as "Video", "Creativity" (collages, panoramas, animations), "Google Drive" (files stored in this service) and so on. … The number and composition of these tiles may vary depending on the content of your photo archive.

10. Sharing

You can share photos from Google Photos on social networks at any time, or simply by sending a link in any way convenient for you. To do this, select one or many images, and then click on the sharing button on the top toolbar. In the same way, you can send your friends a link to an entire album.

As you can see, Google Photos simply has no competitors in terms of its innovative features and usability. Add to that it's completely free and unlimited storage, and the choice in favor of this service becomes obvious.

Have you already uploaded your photos to Google Photos?