Choose the upload size of your photos and videos

You can change the quality of your photos and videos to fit your preferences, or to free up your storage space.

Learn about your backup options

High quality

  • Unlimited free storage.
  • Photos are compressed to save space. If a photo is larger than 16MP, it will be resized to 16MP.
  • You can print good quality 16MP photos in sizes up to 24 inches x 16 inches.
  • Videos higher than 1080p will be resized to high-definition 1080p. A video with 1080p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.

Storage for Pixel users

If you have a Pixel phone and have set up Google Photos backup, photos and videos you take on your on Pixel are automatically backed up from your phone to Google Photos. Learn more about Pixel and Photos backup.
Original quality
  • Limited free storage that uses storage in your Google Account. Check your storage here. If you go over this limit, learn how to buy storage.
  • All photos and videos are stored in the same resolution that you took them.
  • Recommended for photos that have more than 16MP and videos with more than 1080p.
  • Recommended for printing large banners
  • If you’re a Google One user and set up Google Photos, your photos and videos will get uploaded in Original quality.

Storage for Pixel users

If you have a Pixel phone and have set up Google Photos backup, photos and videos you take on your on Pixel are automatically backed up from your phone to Google Photos. Learn more about Pixel and Photos backup.
Express backup
If you don't see this option, it isn't available for you yet.
  • Faster backup over WiFi and mobile data.
  • Unlimited free storage.
  • Photos may be compressed to use less mobile data. If a photo is larger than 3MP, it will be resized to 3MP.
  • You can print good quality 3MP photos in sizes up to 6 inches x 8 inches.
  • Videos higher than 480p will be resized to standard definition 480p. A video with 480p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.

Before you get started

Download and install the Google Photos app.

Change your upload size

  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app Photos.
  2. Sign in to your Google Account.
  3. At the top, tap Menu Menu.
  4. Select Settings and then Back up sync.
  5. Under "Settings," tap Backup mode.
  6. Select High quality or Original quality. 
  7. Tap Select.

If you can't change your upload size, you might be out of storage.

  • Under Back up at lower resolution, tap Resume Backup.

Learn more about your options when you run out of storage.

Note: If you use your Google Photos account on multiple devices, and you change your upload size for one device, it will not affect the backup setting on any other device.

Some users may see more options:

  • You can change your upload size to Express backup.
  • If you change your upload size to a higher quality option, Google Photos will re-upload any existing photos or videos on your device.
  • You can limit backup data usage.

To limit backup data usage:

  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app .
  2. Tap Menu Menu and then Settings Settings and then Back up & sync.
  3. Under "Settings," tap Cell data usage.
  4. Under "Daily limit for backup" choose how much data Google Photos can use when automatically backing up photos and videos.

Pixel storage info

If you have a Pixel phone and have set up Google Photos backup, photos and videos you take on your on Pixel are automatically backed up from your phone to Google Photos. Learn more about Google Photos backup.

 

Pixel (2016)

You get unlimited free storage at Original quality. You won’t be able to use High quality.

Pixel 2

You get unlimited free storage at Original quality for all photos and videos uploaded to Google Photos from Pixel 2 through January 16, 2021. Photos uploaded on or before that date will remain free at Original quality. After January 16, 2021, new photos will be uploaded at High quality for free. If you upload new photos at Original quality, it will count against your storage quota.

Pixel 3

You get unlimited free storage at Original quality for all photos and videos uploaded to Google Photos from Pixel 3 through Jan 31, 2022. Photos uploaded on or before that date will remain free at Original quality. After January 31, 2022, new photos will be uploaded at High quality for free. If you upload new photos at Original quality, it will count against your storage quota.

Pixel 3a

You can choose to get unlimited free storage at High quality, or you can choose to upgrade your back up to Original quality. If you upload photos at Original quality, it will count against your storage quota. Learn how to change your upload size, and learn more about storage plans.

Pixel 4

You can choose to get unlimited free storage at High quality, or you can choose to upgrade your back up to Original quality. If you upload photos at Original quality, it will count against your storage quota. Learn how to change your upload size, and learn more about storage plans.

Reduce the size of your photos & videos

If you have photos in Original quality and want to save some space, change your already backed-up photos and videos to High quality. This setting will not appear if you don’t have any photos in Original quality.

  1. On a computer, go to photos.google.com/settings.
  2. Click Recover storage. This will not change the quality of your future uploads.

Note: You can only recover storage once a day. 

Photos or videos will not be changed to High quality if you’ve uploaded them with:

  • Google Drive
  • Your Pixel
  • Your Pixel 2 or 3 during your Original quality offer period

But it will change any photos or videos you’ve uploaded on:

  • Blogger
  • Google Maps
  • Google Photos
  • Google+
  • Hangouts
  • Panoramio
  • Picasa Web Albums
  • YouTube Web Channel Art
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