Summary
- The Google Photos app is getting a Storage saver option previously exclusive to the web interface.
- The feature will let you downsize all your large media files with a few taps.
- It’s unclear when the option will roll out, but it’s expected to be soon.
The Google Photos Android app is getting a new option to help users save storage space. As reported by multiple sources, Google Photos users on mobile will soon have the option to reduce the size and quality of their backed-up media all at once, potentially greatly reducing the Google Account storage space used by Photos.
Android Authority first uncovered evidence of the upcoming feature in an APK teardown. AA found several strings in code for the Google Photos app for Android referencing Photos’ storage saver features, which are currently only available through the service’s web interface. Not long after, PiunikaWeb published a more detailed look at the feature in action, courtesy of prolific Google services tinkerer AssembleDebug.
It seems like the feature will work on mobile the same way it does on the desktop web interface. Once the feature rolls out, you’ll see a new option in the Google Photos app’s Manage storage settings labeled Convert photos to Storage saver. Like in the existing iteration of the feature, choosing to convert your photos and videos will permanently replace originally uploaded media with downsized versions — all photos will be downscaled to 16MP and videos to 1080p. As Photos warns, you can’t get those originals back after converting them, so be careful.
It’s an all-or-nothing option
You can’t selectively downsize your photos
Frustratingly, in both the current web app implementation and in the upcoming Android app feature rollout, opting to downsize your photos and videos to Storage saver is an all-or-nothing proposition. You can’t choose which photos you want to compress while leaving others full-size, so the option might not appeal to users who have some shots they want to preserve in original quality and others they’d prefer to shrink down.
It’s not clear when this option will roll out, but that AssembleDebug was able to get the feature up and running seems to indicate it’s nearly ready for a public release.
It’s been a big day for Photos. Google announced earlier today that Google Photos’ AI-powered Magic Editor feature, once exclusive to Pixel phones, is coming to all phones in a limited capacity. While Pixel users will continue to enjoy full access to Magic Editor, other devices will only be able to save 10 photos edited using Magic Editor per month — though paying for a Google One Premium plan (those start at $10 per month for a plan with two terabytes of cloud storage) will grant unfettered access to Magic Editor on any device.
Google’s AI Magic Editor is coming to all devices for free, but there’s a catch
Pixel users get full access, but everyone else only gets 10 saves
