I am not the biggest fan of Google Photos, partly because it’s exhausting to manage my cloud storage since I depend on my 15GB of data for other apps like Gmail and Google Drive.
Google Photos tends to be the culprit behind the space filling up, mainly because I have used it to enable cross-device syncing when I snap pictures or to turn on backups while testing some features.
Basically, it’s just a photo management app that doesn’t work for me — I prefer offline, localized solutions, but without worrying about third-party options.
I found a very simple solution for my trusty Google Pixel: the Gallery by Google app. It’s lightweight, simple, and best of all, offline.
Gallery by Google is everything I needed
I disabled Google Photos as a result of this change
Gallery by Google is not available by default. You need to download the app from the Play Store to use it.
The app has smart organization, so you don’t need to worry about a huge mess of images or manually sorting through them.
I don’t love moving photos to albums unless they are specialized images I plan to share with multiple people.
I sometimes do it if I need to keep my photo album private for my own viewing (only on my primary driver). Google Photos has a vault that can work to a similar effect.
I will say that one feature I missed in Google Photos was the locked folders, which you won’t find in the Gallery by Google app.
If you want to consider privatizing your collection, there are some decent options, like Private Spaces (which creates a separate, hidden profile) or the safe folder option in Files by Google.
On my Google Pixel, that’s a compromise I am more willing to accept, since the Gallery by Google app is a local solution, meaning I can maintain my privacy by keeping anything from going to the cloud.
Also, for other devices that use a microSD card for external storage, you can move photos between them using the app — so everything is controlled only through your device.
Gallery by Photos post-photo management is weak
The available editing tools are a bit too bare-boned at times
I do not use the Magic Editor on the Google Pixel, mainly because when I am serious about post-image processing, I stick to the tools from Galaxy AI built into the Samsung Gallery app — that’s usually my primary driver.
Photos I take on the Pixel are pretty simplified for the most part.
But I can see the appeal of having access to the Magic Editor in Google Photos. I’ve seen some impressive images edited to change the style and mood, and even generate new surroundings for the photo.
Object removal is also a very nice perk, especially if you take the perfect shot, only to have it ruined by someone photo-bombing the image at the last second or by a piece of ugly furniture sticking out in a nicely composed photo.
Or making use of Google Photos’ built-in conversational editor to save a little time for more complex editing.
Sadly, the Gallery by Google app’s editing tools are sparse.
You have access to an auto-enhance feature that does a quick rebalance of the photo by fixing brightness and some coloring — it isn’t too crazy.
I sometimes use it because of the awful lighting in my home — but it never drastically changes the look.
It’s also not possible to manually tweak anything if you don’t want to use the auto-tool, since the best you can do is add some filters, which I never touch or use.
Cropping and rotating images, another common function, can also be done there.
I do use this a bit more frequently than everything else — which is why the very basic editing toolset works — but I can see why others would be disappointed by the limitations.
But this isn’t a photo-editing app; it’s more for management. So basically, it works a lot like how Samsung Gallery used to be before AI took over.
I worry that Google will phase this app out, since it already isn’t a default option and Google is known to abandon some projects midway.
So while I am satisfied with the lightweight alternative for my Pixel, I don’t expect it to be a permanent solution.
Quiz
Google Photos app
Trivia challenge
From smart albums to AI magic — how well do you really know Google’s beloved
photo platform?
FeaturesHistoryStorageAI ToolsSharing
In what year was Google Photos launched as a standalone app, separate from Google+?
Correct! Google Photos launched on May 28, 2015, at Google I/O. It was
spun out from Google+ as its own dedicated service, arriving with unlimited free storage as a major
headline feature.
Not quite — Google Photos launched in 2015 at Google I/O. Before that,
photo management was bundled inside the ill-fated Google+ social network, which made it harder to
discover and use.
Google Photos ended its free unlimited original-quality storage policy in June 2021.
What storage cap applies to free Google accounts?
That’s right! Free Google accounts share 15 GB of storage across Google
Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos. Once you hit that limit, you need to purchase a Google One plan to keep
uploading.
The correct answer is 15 GB. Google’s free storage tier covers 15 GB
shared across all Google services including Drive and Gmail. After June 2021, new photo uploads count
toward that shared pool.
What is the name of Google Photos’ AI-powered feature that automatically groups
photos by the people who appear in them?
Correct! People Albums uses on-device and cloud-based facial recognition
to automatically cluster photos by individual faces. You can name each person, making it easy to find
all photos of a specific friend or family member.
The feature is called People Albums. Google Photos uses facial
recognition technology to automatically sort photos by the individuals in them, letting you name and
search for specific people across your entire library.
Which Google Photos feature allows you to remove distracting objects or people from
a photo using generative AI?
Spot on! Magic Eraser, introduced with the Pixel 6, lets you highlight
and remove unwanted objects or photobombers from images. It uses generative AI to intelligently fill in
the background, making removals look seamless.
The correct answer is Magic Eraser. This AI-powered tool debuted on the
Pixel 6 and was later made available to Google One subscribers. It intelligently fills in the area left
behind when you remove an object, producing surprisingly clean results.
What is the name of the Google Photos feature that automatically shares relevant
photos with friends or family members it recognises in your pictures?
Correct! Partner Sharing lets you automatically share photos that
include a specific person with another Google account — perfect for couples or parents sharing memories
with each other without any manual effort.
The feature is called Partner Sharing. It allows Google Photos to
automatically detect when a chosen person appears in your photos and share those images directly with a
linked Google account, removing the need to manually send pictures.
What does Google Photos’ ‘Memories’ feature primarily do?
Right! Memories surfaces photos and videos from the past — including
‘this day’ anniversaries, trips, and auto-created highlights — displayed at the top of the app. It’s
designed to help you rediscover moments you might have forgotten.
The answer is that Memories resurfaces past photos and videos based on
dates and notable events. It goes beyond simple ‘on this day’ reminders by grouping themed collections
like trips and celebrations, presenting them as mini highlight reels.
Which Google Photos editing tool uses AI to suggest brightness, contrast, and color
adjustments tailored specifically to each photo?
Correct! Auto Enhance analyzes the content of each individual photo and
applies AI-driven adjustments to lighting, color, and contrast. It’s designed to make quick improvements
without requiring any manual slider adjustments from the user.
The answer is Auto Enhance. This one-tap AI tool assesses the specific
characteristics of a photo — such as exposure and white balance — and applies tailored corrections
automatically, saving users from having to manually tweak editing controls.
Google Photos allows users to lock sensitive photos behind biometric authentication.
What is this protected space called?
Exactly right! The Locked Folder is a password or biometric-protected
space within Google Photos where you can store sensitive images. Photos placed there do not appear in
the main library, are not backed up to the cloud, and won’t show in other apps.
The correct answer is Locked Folder. Introduced in 2021 starting on
Pixel devices before rolling out more broadly, it keeps selected photos hidden behind device
authentication. Importantly, content in the Locked Folder is stored only on-device and excluded from
cloud backup.
Your Score
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Thanks for playing!
Searching for a Google Photos alternative
While I may not have highlighted them in this article, third-party options exist to replace Google Photos.
For example, my colleague liked using Fossify Gallery as another simplified, privacy-focused gallery app, much like Gallery by Google Photos.
While I worry about trusting third-party apps with my data, Fossify Gallery is an open source app that has been around since 2023 and was later released on the Play Store in 2024.
It has been a few years since then; nothing suspicious has been reported, and there are no ads or trackers.
So this is the one I plan to try next if Gallery by Google doesn’t pan out on my Pixel phone.
