Backing up photos from iPhone via "Google Photos"

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

We will tell you how to store images in original quality and not pay for space in the cloud.

As Reddit user stephensawyer found out, high quality iPhone photos can be stored in Google Photos without losing quality. This allows you to use the service to back up your photos without having to pay for cloud space.

Usually, when syncing with an application, the photos are automatically compressed so that they take up less space on the server. But therein lies the catch: the HEIC codec is so efficient that the JPGs compressed from it weigh more than the original file.

It makes no sense for Google to waste space and processing power to increase the file size, so the photo is uploaded in its original form. Accordingly, you can delete unnecessary photos from your smartphone, knowing that you can download them back at any time without losing quality. At the same time, there are no restrictions on the number of photos that you can add in this way.

All you need to do to use this trick is to go to Settings> Camera> Formats and make sure High Efficiency is selected. In this case, the camera will automatically save the photo to HEIC. If you select "Most Compatible", the files will be saved in JPEG / H.264. Such images weigh more and are compressed, so this is not the best option for backups.

It is noteworthy that earlier Google smartphones had the same advantage, but starting with the Pixel 3a, their photos also began to be compressed. So it is paradoxical, but true: the iPhone is "on friendly terms" with the service better than the flagships from its creator.

Unfortunately, this only works with photos. 4K videos, even when shot in MP4 with HEVC codec, are still compressed to 1080p when uploaded to Google Photos.