Android users rely on Google Photos to safely store media and free up space on their device. But right now, everything gets backed up by default, including random screenshots, so cleaning things up takes extra effort. To make this easier, Google is reportedly working on a new option that lets you back up only the photos and videos you’ve marked as favorites.
An APK teardown of Google Photos v7.39 by Android Authority hints at a new feature, namely cloud backups just for your favorites. Once enabled, only the photos you’ve marked with a star get uploaded, while everything else stays local on your device.
<string name="photos_autobackuppromos_backupfavorites_title">Automatically back up only your favorites</string>
<string name=”photos_autobackuppromos_backupfavorites_enable_button_text”>Turn on favorites backup</string>
<string name=”photos_autobackuppromos_backupfavorites_description”>Keep your favorites safe by automatically backing up photos when you favorite them</string>
Google Photos currently gives you two backup options. The go-to method backs up everything by default, which is great if you’ve got plenty of Google One space or don’t snap tons of pictures, making the free 15GB stretch just fine.
The other option is to turn off auto-backup and upload photos manually. You’ll see a “Back up now” button when it’s off, letting you choose what to save. It gives you more control, but if you take a ton of photos, manually selecting each one is a nightmare.
Fine-tuning folder backups in Google Photos
No love for favorites yet
In the meantime, Google Photos lets you pick which phone folders to back up, so you’re not syncing everything by default. You can also create albums to organize and save specific photo sets. To manage this, open the Google Photos app on your Android device and sign in. Tap your profile icon, go to Photos settings > Backup > Back up device folders. You’ll see a list of folders, and just toggle each one on or off to choose what gets backed up. That said, there’s still no way to back up only your favorited photos, at least for now.
The APK teardown mentions “photos” for the favorites-only backup, but it’s safe to assume videos will be included too. Google Photos usually handles photos and videos together, and a storage-saving feature like this would likely cover both.
