Google Photos

Google Photos is a <a href="/facts/Photo_sharing/pyJS36yM">photo sharing</a> and <a href="/facts/Cloud_storage/cNw9IK3Q">storage service</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Google/GT9Sugza">Google</a>. It was announced in May 2015 and spun off from <a href="/facts/Google%2B/YpruHrEK">Google+</a>, the company's former <a href="/facts/Social_networking_service/qFIh6VT1">social network</a>.
Google Photos shares the 15 gigabytes of free storage space with other Google services, such as <a href="/facts/Google_Drive/mgEjwvIs">Google Drive</a> and <a href="/facts/Gmail/GXU2IQH4">Gmail</a>. Users can upload their photos and videos in either quality setting, original or compressed (photos and videos up to 16 <a href="/facts/Megapixel/UzwBvXBV">megapixels</a> and 1080p <a href="/facts/Display_resolution/8LQTWvl3">resolution</a>, respectively), that will count towards the free storage tier (compressed items uploaded before June 1, 2021, along with items uploaded via <a href="/facts/Google_Pixel/qVVQLXks">Pixel</a> phones released before that date, are unlimited). Users can expand their storage through paid <a href="/facts/Google_One/dnlI1u23">Google One</a> subscriptions.
The service automatically analyzes photos, identifying various visual features and subjects. Users can search for anything in photos, with the service returning results from three major categories: People, Places, and Things. The <a href="/facts/Computer_vision/Tl2Yyk66">computer vision</a> of Google Photos recognizes faces (not only those of humans, but pets as well), grouping similar ones together (this feature is only available in certain countries due to privacy laws); geographic landmarks (such as the <a href="/facts/Eiffel_Tower/IptQeofK">Eiffel Tower</a>); and subject matter, including birthdays, buildings, animals, food, and more.
Different forms of <a href="/facts/Machine_learning/e0w0XJTu">machine learning</a> in the Photos service allow <a href="/facts/Object_recognition/cdLpak1I">recognition</a> of photo contents, automatically generate albums, animate similar photos into quick videos, surface memories at significant times, and improve the quality of photos and videos. In May 2017, Google announced several updates to Google Photos, including reminders for and suggested sharing of photos, shared photo libraries between two users, and physical albums. Photos automatically suggested collections based on face, location, trip, or other distinction.
Google Photos received critical acclaim after its decoupling from Google+ in 2015. Reviewers praised the updated Photos service for its recognition technology, search, apps, and loading times. Nevertheless, <a href="/facts/Privacy_concerns_regarding_Google/RIpRGA8X">privacy concerns</a> were raised, including Google's motivation for building the service, as well as its relationship to governments and possible laws requiring Google to hand over a user's entire photo history. Google Photos has seen strong user adoption. It reached 100 million users after five months, 200 million after one year, 500 million after two years, and passed the 1 billion user mark in 2019, four years after its initial launch. Google reports as of 2020, approximately 28 billion photos and videos are uploaded to the service every week, and more than 4 trillion photos are stored in the service total.

Google Photos open-in-new

Google Photos