DB LabsDB Labs

Updated April 7, 2026

By Jack Smith, iOS Developer at DB Labs

How-To

How to Back Up Photos to Google Drive on iPhone

Google Drive is a solid alternative to iCloud — 15 GB free to start, cheap upgrades, and it works on any device. Here is how to use it to back up iPhone photos.

April 7, 2026  ·  6 min read

Quick Answer

Install the Google Drive app from the App Store and sign in with your Google account. Tap the plus (+) button, choose Upload, then Photos and Videos. Select the photos you want and tap Upload. For automatic continuous backup, install the Google Photos app instead and turn on Back up & sync — it uploads new photos whenever you are on Wi-Fi.

What You Need

  • A Google account (free — any Gmail address works)
  • Google Drive or Google Photos app from the App Store
  • Wi-Fi connection recommended for large libraries
  • Enough free Google storage — 15 GB free, upgradeable via Google One

Method 1: Manual Upload with Google Drive

1 Install Google Drive

Open the App Store and search for Google Drive. Install it and open. Sign in with your Google account (or create one).

2 Create a Folder for Photos

Optional but recommended: tap the plus (+) button and choose Folder. Name it something like "iPhone Backup April 2026" to keep uploads organized.

3 Tap the Plus Button

Inside the folder (or anywhere in Drive), tap the plus (+) button in the bottom right corner. Choose Upload.

4 Select Photos and Videos

Tap Photos and Videos. The first time, iOS will ask if Google Drive can access your photos — tap Allow Access to All Photos. Then select the photos you want to upload. You can select hundreds at once.

5 Tap Upload

Tap Upload in the top right. The upload begins immediately. A progress bar appears at the bottom of the screen. Keep the app open until it finishes.

Method 2: Automatic Backup with Google Photos

1 Install Google Photos

Open the App Store and install Google Photos (separate from Google Drive). Sign in with the same Google account.

2 Enable Back Up & Sync

On first launch, you will be asked to enable Back up & sync. Tap Turn on backup. Choose Original quality (counts against Google storage) — Google no longer offers the old free "High quality" option.

3 Choose Backup Settings

Go to Profile > Photos settings > Backup. Choose whether to back up on cellular data or Wi-Fi only (Wi-Fi saves mobile data). Confirm your backup account and upload size.

4 Let It Run

Google Photos will upload your entire camera roll in the background. For a 20,000-photo library on Wi-Fi, expect several hours. Keep the app open and iPhone plugged in.

Storage Tips

  • Free tier: 15 GB shared across Gmail, Drive, and Photos. Not enough for most libraries.
  • Google One 100 GB: $1.99/month — about 30,000-40,000 HEIC photos.
  • Google One 200 GB: $2.99/month — matches iCloud 200 GB pricing.
  • Google One 2 TB: $9.99/month — same price as iCloud 2 TB, includes VPN and other perks.
Important: Google Drive does not delete photos from your iPhone after upload. You still need to manually remove them from the Photos app to free local space.
Tip: Before uploading to Google, clean your camera roll so you are not wasting cloud storage on blurry shots and duplicates. Swype Photo Cleaner makes this fast — swipe left to delete, right to keep.

For more, see our Google Photos migration guide, backup without iCloud, Swype vs Google Photos compare, and back up to an external SSD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I back up iPhone photos to Google Drive?

Yes. Use the Google Drive app for manual upload or Google Photos for automatic continuous backup.

Is Google Drive free for iPhone photos?

15 GB free. Google One plans start at $1.99/mo for 100 GB and scale up to $9.99/mo for 2 TB.

Does Google Drive upload full-resolution photos?

Yes. Photos are stored at original resolution and count against your Google storage quota. The old free "High quality" tier ended in 2021.