How To Upload Photos To Google Drive.

Below you can find a number of different ways to effectively upload your photos onto your Google Drive, choose the option that best suits you and your needs. Using the web allows for fast drag-drop, having your drive on your desktop allows for you to set up auto-sync and using the mobile app is fab for on the go.

Don’t forget to check your available Google storage!

Using Google Drive on the web (Windows / Mac / Linux)

1. Open a browser and go to drive.google.com and sign in with your Google account.

2. Create a folder first (optional but recommended): click New → Folder, name it, open it.

3. Upload by one of these fast methods:

   • Drag & drop: open the folder in Drive, then open your computer folder/Photos app and drag the images into the Drive browser window. Upload begins immediately.

   • Menu upload: click New → File upload (to pick individual photos) or New → Folder upload (to upload a whole folder with structure).

4. Watch the upload progress in the bottom-right corner. Wait until it shows Upload complete.

5. Confirm: double-click a photo in Drive to preview it — check orientation, resolution and that no files are missing.

6. (Optional) Right-click a file → Rename to give a clear filename, or select multiple files → Move to to rearrange them.

Using Drive for desktop (sync / automatic upload from PC or Mac)

1. Install Drive for desktop from Google (search for “Drive for desktop” if you don’t have it). Sign in.

2. During setup choose whether to Stream files or Mirror files:

   • Stream keeps files in the cloud and downloads on demand (saves local disk space).

   • Mirror keeps a local copy synced to your computer.

3. In the app preferences, add folders you want to continuously back up (for example, your Photos folder). Enable Upload photos & videos to Google Photos if you also want them in Google Photos.

4. Drop photos into those local folders — Drive for desktop will sync them to My Drive automatically.

5. Check the system tray/menu bar icon for sync progress. When it shows synced, open drive.google.com to verify.

Uploading from Android (Drive app)

1. Open the Google Drive app and sign in.

2. Navigate to the folder you want or create one with + → Folder. Open the folder.

3. Tap the + (bottom-right) → Upload → choose Photos and videos.

4. Select multiple photos by tapping each thumbnail, then tap Open / Upload (UI label may vary). Upload begins.

5. To speed things: connect to Wi-Fi, or enable background upload via Settings → Transfer preferences.

6. Verify uploads by opening files in Drive or checking the upload notification.

Uploading from iPhone / iPad (Drive app)

1. Install & open Google Drive app and sign in.

2. Create/open the folder you want to upload into.

3. Tap + → Upload → Photos and Videos.

4. The Photos picker appears — tap to select multiple photos, then Upload.

5. If first time, allow Drive to access your Photos (choose Allow Access to All Photos for easier bulk uploads).

6. When upload finishes, preview the photos in Drive to confirm. If some files are HEIC and you need JPEG, you may convert before uploading or export from Photos as JPEG.

Alternative mobile method: Share from your Photos app

1. In iOS Photos or Android Gallery, select photos → tap the Share icon → choose Save to Drive or Google Drive.

2. Choose folder and filename, then upload. This is handy for quick sharing without opening Drive first.

Tips to upload faster and keep quality

• Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network (large uploads eat mobile data and are slower).

• For many photos, zip the folder then upload the single .zip file; unzip later on a computer if needed.

• Use Drive for desktop for bulk or automatic backup — it runs in the background and avoids manual uploads.

• To keep original quality, don’t use tools that compress images before upload. Google Drive stores files at original resolution (but Google Photos has separate quality/compression options).

• If photos are HEIC (iPhone default), convert to JPEG if you need wide compatibility. On Mac you can export as JPEG from Photos; on iPhone use the “Save as JPEG” options or a converter app.

• Check your Google account storage (drive.google.com/settings > Manage storage) before large uploads.

Organising & sharing after upload

1. Move photos into meaningful folders (right-click → Move to).

2. Select multiple photos → Add to → create a shortcut in another folder if needed.

3. Share photos or folders: right-click → Share → add people or get a shareable link. Set viewer/editor permissions.

4. For public or link sharing, click Get link and set permission to Anyone with the link (Viewer / Commenter / Editor).

Troubleshooting common upload problems

• Uploads stall or fail: refresh the page, reconnect to Wi-Fi, clear browser cache, or try another browser.

• Not enough space: free up Google storage or buy additional space via Google One.

• Files still uploading after long time: try zipping a smaller batch, or use Drive for desktop for stable sync.

• Photos appear rotated: rotate in a local editor before upload, or rotate in Drive’s preview (open → More actions → Rotate).

For more essential tips and tricks on using Microsoft 365 applications and Social Media platforms, be sure to check out That Office Guy’s YouTube Channel.