How to ensure your photos on Google Photos are private

Google Photos service is one of the popular services for storing photos, and many users use it without knowing much about it. Because Google is a well-known company and is associated with most of our digital lives, we trust its services blindly. But what you may not know is how to ensure that your photos and videos are private and safe from prying eyes.

Google Photos service comes pre-installed with all Android phones, and you can also install it on other phones like iPhones, for example. Or you can simply browse the web version at photos.google.com. In this article, you will learn how to make sure that your photos on Google Photos are private.

How to make sure your photos are private?

To answer this question, you need to understand how Google Photos service works. When you open the Google Photos app, it includes your Google account, which is what concerns many users, as they think that Google Photos is a social network, which is completely wrong.

Basically, Google Photos is a backup and sync service, so you need a Google account to store and sync your photos. On the other hand, Google Photos service relies on four functions that you need to know to determine the privacy of your photos.

1. Google Photos as a Gallery App

First, the Google Photos service installed on your phone can act as a gallery on the phone, displaying the photos and videos available on your phone. Even if your Google account is connected (as you can use the app without connecting to Google), there is no need to worry because the photos are private, unless you activate the Backup feature. In that case, there is no need to do anything to make them private, as they are private by default.

2. Google Photos as a Backup Tool

Secondly, Google Photos service acts as a backup service for photos, only when you activate the Backup feature on the Google Photos app, your photos will be uploaded to the Google Photos cloud storage. You can also add photos through the web version at photos.google.com.

Again, your photos are private even when their backup copies are in the cloud, and no one else can see them except you. Therefore, you do not need to make any settings or modifications to the privacy of the Google Photos service.

3. Google Photos as a Sync Tool

Google Photos service also works as a sync tool, syncing your current photos and data between different connected devices, and this is where you need to be cautious. This means that all the photos on Google Photos servers will automatically become visible on the Google Photos app on your phone or any other phone connected to the same Google account.

For example, if you add your Google account to your friend’s phone, they will have access to the photos in your Google Photos account, and the backup copies of the photos from your phone will be synced to their phone. So, be very careful about adding your Google account to phones and devices you do not trust, and if you do, you will need to delete your Google account from their phones.

4. Google Photos as a Sharing Tool

The only way others can see your photos on Google Photos is if you use the sharing feature provided by Google Photos service (you can only share photos that have been backed up).

There are three ways to share photos through Google Photos service:

– Sharing with other Google Photos users.

– Sharing via Google Photos links.

– Sharing via a partner account.

In all three cases, the other person can view and share your photos with more people. Of course, sharing photos will not happen automatically unless you share the image link or activate an option that includes sharing your content, so always pay attention to the options you activate.