Summary
- Google Photos quietly limited partner sharing in November 2024 to only camera images and videos.
- Google is now working on a new toggle to allow sharing of non-camera media files with your partner.
- The “Include content from other Android apps” is still in development and could take a while before it is rolled out.
In November 2024, Google quietly updated partner sharing in Google Photos and added a weird sharing limitation. It restricted the sharing feature to only pictures and videos shot from your phone’s camera, with the shared person unable to see screenshots and images uploaded by other apps to your library. Now, it looks like Google might be ready to change its stance and reintroduce the option to share media files uploaded to Google Photos by other apps with your partner.
Code sleuth AssembleDebug and the Android Authority team managed to surface a new “Include content from other Android apps” toggle in the latest Google Photos app for Android (v7.12). As the option suggests, it will allow you to share pictures and videos uploaded from other Android apps to your Google Photos library with your partner.
Screenshots: Android Authority
Apparently, the feature will be turned off by default, and you’ll have to enable it by jumping into Google Photos partner sharing settings.
It is difficult to ascertain when Google will roll out this option; it could take a few weeks or even a few months. The feature will likely first appear for users on the Google Photos beta channel before rolling out to the public.
This Google Photos partner sharing restriction is annoying
Jules Wang / AP
Google’s limitation on partner sharing poses issues for people who heavily rely on third-party camera apps like Instagram to take pictures and videos. These files will not appear in their partner’s shared library. Weirdly, these images will show up to your partner if you edit them using Google Photos.
Worse, there’s no workaround to this limitation; your only option is to go back to using the default camera app on your phone. Similarly, if you back up screenshots to your Google Photos library, your partner can no longer view them.
Unless Google rolls out the “Include content from other Android apps” toggle, you cannot do much. On the bright side, it is reassuring to know that the company is working on a solution to a problem created by itself.
