Backing up your phone’s photos usually means paying for cloud storage or digging out a cable. Google wants to change that. Its November system update for Android lists a new Quick Share feature that backs up photos and videos from your phone to a Windows PC automatically. Here’s what we know, who gets it and how to get ready.
In Short
- Google Play services v26.43 adds automatic photo and video backups from Android to Windows through Quick Share.
- The rollout is gradual, so the option may not show up on your phone right away.
- You’ll need the Quick Share for Windows app and the same Google Account on both devices.
What Google Just Added
Google’s release notes for Google Play services v26.43, dated November 2, describe the feature in one line: “Automatic backing up photos/videos from an Android to Windows using Quick Share feature.” Instead of uploading your camera roll to the cloud, your phone sends it straight to your computer.
The same update brings two smaller changes. A new Family Hub in Android Settings gathers family management tools in one place, and Google Password Manager now lets you choose which credentials to keep when imported passwords or passkeys conflict with ones you already have.
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How the Backup Should Work
Google hasn’t published a full guide yet. Based on what was spotted in earlier versions of the feature, you should get an Automatic Backup toggle in Quick Share, with separate switches for photos, videos and audio files. Backups would run while both devices are on, nearby and connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and a “Back up now” button would let you start one manually. Deleting a photo from your phone reportedly won’t remove the copy on your PC.
How to Get Ready
You can set up the PC side today. According to Google’s support page, here’s what you need:
- A Windows PC running a 64-bit version of Windows 10 or later. ARM-based PCs need Windows 11.
- The Quick Share for Windows app, signed in with your Google Account.
- The same Google Account on your phone, which needs Android 6.0 or later.
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, with both devices on the same network.
On your phone, make sure Google Play system updates are installed, since the feature arrives through Play services rather than a full Android update.
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What About Samsung Galaxy Owners?
This is the catch. Code found in earlier versions of the feature said it wouldn’t support Samsung phones, and Google’s own Quick Share for Windows page says its app is no longer supported on Samsung PCs, which use Samsung’s Quick Share app instead. Google’s release notes don’t mention Samsung either way, so Galaxy owners will have to wait and see.
The Limit
A line in Google’s release notes doesn’t mean everyone has the feature today. Changes delivered through Play services can take weeks or even months to reach all phones, and Google hasn’t shared a timeline. The details on how backups work come from earlier testing, so the final version could differ, and only photos, videos and audio files are expected to be supported at first.
Your old Windows PC might be about to become your favorite photo backup!