Choose the upload size of your photos & videos

You can change the quality of your photos and videos to fit your preferences, or to free up your storage space.

Important:

  • Each Google Account comes with 15 GB of free storage.
  • You can back up as much as 15 GB each day.

Learn about your backup options

High quality
  • Unlimited free storage.
  • Photos are compressed to save space. If a photo is larger than 16MP, it will be resized to 16MP.
  • You can print good quality 16MP photos in sizes up to 24 inches x 16 inches.
  • Videos higher than 1080p will be resized to high-definition 1080p. A video with 1080p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.
Important: Starting June 1, 2021, photos and videos backed up in High quality will start to count towards your Google Account storage.
Original quality
  • Photos and videos uploaded in Original quality count towards your Google Account storage. Check your storage here. Each account comes with 15 GB of free storage and you can purchase more from Google One (where available). Learn how to buy storage. 
  • All photos and videos are stored in the same resolution that you took them.
  • Recommended for photos that have more than 16MP and videos with more than 1080p.
  • Recommended for printing large banners.
Express backup
If you don't see this option in your backup settings, it isn't available in your region.
  • Faster backup over WiFi and mobile data.
  • Unlimited free storage.
  • Photos may be compressed to use less mobile data. If a photo is larger than 3MP, it will be resized to 3MP.
  • You can print good quality 3MP photos in sizes up to 6 inches x 8 inches.
  • Videos higher than 480p will be resized to standard definition 480p. A video with 480p or less will look close to the original. Some information, like closed captions, might be lost.
Important: Starting June 1, 2021, photos and videos backed up in Express quality will start to count towards your Google Account storage.

Change your upload size

  1. On your computer, open photos.google.com/settings.
  2. Select High quality or Original quality for future uploads.

To limit backup data usage

  1. On your computer, open photos.google.com/settings.
  2. At the top right, click your account profile photo or initial.
  3. Select Photos settings Settings and then Back up & sync.
  4. Turn off cellular data to back up photos and videos. 
  5. Under "Daily limit for backup" choose how much data Google Photos can use when automatically backing up photos and videos.

Reduce the size of your photos & videos

If you have photos in Original quality and want to save some space, change your already backed-up photos and videos to High quality. This setting will not appear if you don’t have any photos in Original quality.

  1. On a computer, go to photos.google.com/settings.
  2. Click Recover storage. This will not change the quality of your future uploads.

Important: You can only recover storage once a day. 

Photos or videos will not be changed to High quality if you’ve uploaded them with:

  • Your Pixel
  • Your Pixel 2 or 3 during your Original quality offer period

But it will change any photos or videos you’ve uploaded on:

  • Blogger
  • Google Maps
  • Google Photos
  • Hangouts
  • Panoramio
  • Picasa Web Albums
  • YouTube Web Channel Art
Important: If your Google Photos account becomes inactive for over 2 years or you are over your storage limit, your content may be impacted. Learn more about this.
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