Samsung is beginning to roll out a native Samsung Gallery → Google Photos sync option, giving eligible Galaxy users a way to back up Gallery photos and videos to a personal Google Account without making the Google Photos app the only place they manage their library. Google has now published official setup and behavior documentation, while Samsung is also approaching the end of its existing Gallery sync integration with Microsoft OneDrive.
The important detail is that this is not simply the same thing as turning on Google Photos backup. Samsung Gallery remains the front-end app, while eligible Gallery folders can be synchronized to Google Photos storage in the background.
What you need before Samsung Gallery can sync with Google Photos
According to Google’s official Photos Help documentation, the feature currently requires:
- A supported Samsung device.
- Android 13 or later.
- A personal Google Account.
- An account that is not supervised.
- Availability for your specific account, device and region.
Google says Google Workspace accounts are not eligible for this Gallery Cloud Sync connection. That means a work or school Google account may not appear as an available target even when the phone itself meets the Android requirement.
How to enable Google Photos sync in Samsung Gallery
When the feature has reached your device, Google’s documented setup path is straightforward:
- Open Samsung Gallery.
- Open the Menu.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Sync Photos and videos.
- Select the personal Google Account you want to use.
- Review and grant the requested permission.
You can then choose which Gallery albums or folders should sync. Google also documents the ability to control the main camera-roll backup separately from other selected folders, which is useful if you do not want every local image copied to the same cloud library.
What gets backed up — and what happens to storage?
Photos and videos synchronized from Samsung Gallery are stored in your Google Photos account in original quality and count against your Google Account storage. Google says relevant metadata such as timestamps, location information and favorites can also be synchronized.
Deletion behavior deserves attention: Google documents that deleting a synchronized item can remove it from both Samsung Gallery and Google Photos. Before cleaning up a large library, confirm that you understand which copy is local, which copy is cloud-backed and whether another backup exists.
The biggest limitation: synced Gallery items do not behave exactly like normal Google Photos backups
This is the detail most users can easily miss. Google says media synchronized through Samsung Gallery Cloud Sync is not included in Google Photos Memories/highlights, Live Albums or Search unless those items are also backed up through the Google Photos app itself.
In other words, Gallery sync can place the files in your Google Photos account, but it does not automatically give those files every Google Photos discovery feature. If Search, Memories and automated organization matter to you, check whether normal Google Photos backup is also enabled for the folders you care about.
Can Samsung Gallery see every photo already in Google Photos?
No. Google’s documentation says Samsung Gallery is granted access only to media that was originally backed up through Gallery Cloud Sync. Your broader Google Photos library does not become a fully mirrored Samsung Gallery library just because the connection is enabled.
Why this matters now: Samsung’s OneDrive Gallery sync is ending
Samsung says its Gallery synchronization with Microsoft OneDrive will end on September 30, 2026. Existing files stored in OneDrive are not automatically deleted by the end of the Samsung integration, but Samsung advises users to make sure they have downloaded or otherwise secured any originals they need.
The new Google Photos option arrives at a logical time, but it should not be treated as an automatic OneDrive-to-Google migration. If your current Samsung Gallery library depends on OneDrive, verify your old cloud files first, then configure the new Google Photos connection separately.
What if “Sync Photos and videos” is not showing?
The rollout is not universal yet. 9to5Google reported seeing the integration appear for some users around Samsung Gallery version 15.9.01.7, with the feature tied to an updated Gallery Sync/Samsung Cloud component. A matching app version does not guarantee access because Google explicitly says availability can vary by account, device and region.
- Update Samsung Gallery and your Galaxy system apps.
- Confirm the phone runs Android 13 or later.
- Use a personal Google Account rather than a Workspace account.
- Check Gallery Settings again after Samsung/Google server-side rollout reaches your account.
- Avoid installing unofficial Gallery packages just to force the feature.
Should you enable both Samsung Gallery sync and Google Photos backup?
That depends on how you use the two apps. Gallery Cloud Sync is useful if Samsung Gallery is your main photo manager and you want its selected folders connected to Google storage. Standard Google Photos backup remains important if you want the full Google Photos experience, especially Search, Memories/highlights and Live Albums.
Before changing a large photo library, it is also worth reviewing our guide to switching Android apps without losing your data, particularly if you are moving away from an older cloud or gallery workflow.
Sources
- Google Photos Help — Back up photos and videos from Samsung Gallery
- Samsung Support — Gallery/OneDrive sync information
- 9to5Google — rollout observations and Gallery version details
Featured image: Samsung Galaxy Note 4 photography by Kskhh via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Imported into the SSM Apps media library for editorial illustration; no AI generation.
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