How To Upload Photos To Google Drive From iPhone: Do It Manually Or Automatically

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Here’s how to upload pictures to Google Drive from iPhone – open the Google Drive app, tap Add, then tap Upload. Choose the Photos and Videos folder, then select the photos you want to save. After you’ve selected the photos you want, tap upload to save them to Google Drive.

Do you have an iPhone, and want to back up your photos to Google Drive? I get it, iCloud is great, but sometimes Google Drive is easier to use, especially with non-iOS devices. 

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ve put together a quick and easy guide on how to upload photos to Google Drive from iPhone. Read on to learn how to do it both manually and automatically.

Uploading Photos To Google Drive From iPhone

Manually Uploading Photos To Google Drive

Google Drive is Google’s signature cloud storage service. It allows you to upload, download, and share a wide variety of files, such as photos, videos, documents, and more. While Google Drive isn’t native to iOS, like iCloud, it is a great way to store and share photos. 

It will take you about 4 minutes

Follow these steps to manually upload photos to Google Drive from your iPhone:

  1. Download the Google Drive app from the App Store to your iPhone.

    Google Drive app info and download page on the App Store

  2. Open the app and click the Sign-in button. If you already have a Google account on your iPhone, you can sign in with that or a different account.

    Blue Sign in button inside the Google Drive app

  3. Once you’re signed in, you’ll see the Google Drive home screen, click the plus icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

    Plus icon in the bottom right corner

  4. The plus icon allows you to create a new document, folder, use your camera, or upload a file. Choose the upload option.

    Upload button with an arrow icon

  5. After you’ve selected to upload a file, choose the Photos and Videos folder to access your pictures and videos.

    Photos and videos option at the bottom of the page

  6. From your folder, tap the image or video you want to select it. Once you’re done, tap Upload to upload your photos and/or videos to Google Drive.

    Photo selection screen with upload button

  7. Once the upload has been completed, you’ll see a notification on the screen that says that all the uploads are completed. If you want to view the upload in the cloud, tap Locate, and it will show the uploaded images.

    Locate option after the upload completion

  8. And there you have it, you’ve successfully manually uploaded photos to Google Drive from your iPhone.

    Uploaded photo showing in the Google Drive

If videos are more your forte, here’s our video showing you how to upload images to Google Drive from iPhone:

YouTube player

Automatically Uploading Photos To Google Drive Using Google Photos

Google Photos is a photo-sharing and storage service provided by Google. It allows you to easily upload and download your photos on any device. Google Photos is also a great way to automatically backup photos from your iPhone as well. 

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Download the Google Photos app from the App Store to your iPhone.

    Google photos app page in app store
  2. Open the app, the first thing you’ll notice is that it asks for permission to access your Photos, as well as send notifications. Click allow for both of them.

    Granting permissions to google photos in ios
  3. If you already have a Google account on your iPhone, then Google Photos will ask if you want to back up your photos to that account. If not, you can add a different account.

    Googe photos secure backup query screen
  4. Next, you’ll need to choose your backup options. Google Photos allows you to back up your photos in their original quality or a slightly reduced quality to save space. You can also opt to upload photos over mobile as well, though it’s not recommended.

    Google photos back up options
  5. Now you’re all set with the initial setup of Google Photos and its automatic backups. But if you want to make up that your automatic backup is turned on or do it yourself in the future, here’s what to do. On the Google Photos home screen, click your profile picture in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

    Google photos home screen with the profile icon highlighted
  6. Tap Google Photos Settings to access the app’s settings.

    Google profile options in google photos with the settings option highlighted
  7. In the Google Photos settings, tap the Backup & Sync option. When Backup & Sync is toggled on, it means that Google Photos will automatically back up your photos to Google Drive.

    Turning on the google photos backup and Sync option in ios

That’s how you upload iPhone photos to Google Drive automatically. If you prefer a video demonstration, here’s one:

YouTube player

FAQs

Can you access Google Photos through Google Drive?

You can access Google Photos through Google Drive. The two were uncoupled in 2019, however, there is a simple workaround to it. This means you can access your photos on Google Photos through Google Drive. As well as have your photos synced between both apps for easier access and updates.

Can Google Drive be used on iPhone?

Google Drive can be used on iPhone. However, unlike Android devices with Google Drive pre-installed, you have to download Google Drive onto your iPhone from the App Store. It’s free, as are all standard Google apps, and it’s simple and easy to use on iPhone as it is on Android.

Can I delete my iPhone photos once they are uploaded to Google Photos?

You can delete your iPhone photos once they are uploaded to Google Photos. However, to get them back, you need to redownload them from Google Photos using the same account you used to upload them. Google Photos’ automatic backup feature makes it a great way to save pictures.

How do I allow Google Drive to access photos on my iPhone?

You can allow Google Drive access to your photos in your iPhone’s settings. Open the Settings app, scroll until you see Drive, tap it, then tap Photos and allow it access to Read and Write. This means that you can download pictures from Google Drive as well as upload them.

How To Upload Photos To Google Drive From iPhone – Wrapping Up

What’d you think about this tutorial? 

I know iCloud is a great way to back up photos and videos from your iPhone, but as I mentioned before, it can be tricky to use it on other devices. Google Drive, on the other hand, works great on not just your iPhone but also Android phones, Fire Tablets, and PC too. 

Whether you’re manually uploaded a photo to Google Drive or using Google Photos to automatically save your photos to Drive, the process is quick and simple. 

If you want to learn how to back up other important data, other hand photos, to Google Drive, I’ve got you covered. Here’s my guide on how to back up WhatsApp to Google Drive

Also, be sure to share this tutorial with your family, friends, and followers, so they can learn how to upload photos to Google Drive from iPhone.

Thanks for reading!

About The Author

  • Michael Duong

    Tech editor and senior writer Michael Duong is passionate about technology and innovation. He codes open-source projects and plays quiz games in his free time. An expert in his field and an avid learner, always seeking to expand his knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving world of technology. His specialization is mobile security and mobile data safety. Follow Michael on Twitter and Github.

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Michael Duong

Tech editor and senior writer Michael Duong is passionate about technology and innovation. He codes open-source projects and plays quiz games in his free time. An expert in his field and an avid learner, always seeking to expand his knowledge and skills in the ever-evolving world of technology. His specialization is mobile security and mobile data safety. Follow Michael on Twitter and Github.

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