Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 2

263 points

Google Photos (Desktop Uploader) and Photos for Mac?

Has anyone used the Google Photos desktop uploader app that came out with the Google Photos service yesterday to backup their Photos for Mac library? (system library and/or offline library)

Curious exactly how it'll work, and if the desktop uploader is smart enough to skip all of the thumbnail caches and only upload the main photos.

The desktop uploader comes default with an option to backup your iPhoto library, but curious if it works well with the new Photos for Mac app.

🙂

Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on May 29, 2015 3:12 PM

Best reply

JDW1

Level 1

65 points

Posted on May 29, 2015 5:07 PM

I am trying to use it now, but it is confusing me.

First of all, let's talk about app naming. When I access photos.google.com, the app (in "App Downloads") is named "Desktop Uploader". But when you download it, the name appearing on your Mac is in fact "Google Photos Backup". Got it. But here's the big problem...

When I launch Google Photos Backup on my iMac, it shows me a dialog that says:

Choose backup sources

Cameras & Storage Cards
iPhoto Library
Desktop
Pictures

And at the bottom I have "High quality" chosen, of course, so as to get the free unlimited storage plan. (And no, that doesn't bother me because the best camera I have is a Lumix GX-7 which is 16MP, so my photos will NOT be down-scaled, and my 1080p videos, will not be altered either.)

But I haven't clicked the "Start Backup" button on that dialog yet. I upgraded (downgraded??) to Photos (from iPhoto) a couple weeks ago. All my new photos since then are now stored in /pictures/Photos Library, not in the old /pictures/iPhoto Library. I know this to be true because if I launch iPhoto, I don't see any new photos that appear in the Photos app — only my photos prior to using the Photos app.

Hence, all my photos are actually in "Photos Library". But the Google Photos Backup app foolishly asks to import ONLY from "iPhoto Library." True, it also has a checkbox for "Pictures", which I assume means /pictures. But if I choose only that, how do I know the Google Photos Backup app will pull photos from "Photos Library"?

It's all very confusing to me, so I quit the "Google Photos Backup" app and am now searching the web for experiences of others so I know what to do. That's how I found this thread, in fact.

It's shocking that I cannot find any Mac users talking about this. This was the only thread I could find today on-topic.

ADDENDUM:

One other related point. I uploaded all my photos and videos on my iPad using the mobile iOS app. Photos are great — no problem. But when I create a Shared Link for my 1080p videos (which look perfect in 1080p within the Google Photos app, by the way), the video opens in Mobile Safari and displays as what appears to be 480p and highly compressed. Quite frankly, the shared videos displayed on my iPad, look horrible, awful, heinous, and unthinkably bad. But when I try the same shared link on my iMac and load it in Safari, I see the video appear in 720 by default, and there is the familiar YouTube-style cog in the bottom left that I lets me switch to 1080p. But that cog does not exist when viewing your shared video links in Mobile Safari! So you have to be satisfied with highly-compressed 480p on your retina mobile devices! Unthinkable!

View in context

68 replies

sspone

Level 1

0 points

Aug 8, 2015 1:53 AM in response to badtz

I just re-downloaded Google Photos Backup utility for Mac and this latest version 1.1.0.286 allows me to select Apple Photos Library directly ie. without the "Master" folder work-around. So I guess they've finally realized & fixed the issue. Question now is, if they've fixed the sync too 🙂

kiyani

Level 1

13 points

Aug 13, 2015 9:08 AM in response to sspone

I used Google Photos uploader and it uploads the Master copy of the photo and not the Edited version. I edit almost all photos, crops, light, etc. Is there any way to let Uploader know the edited version of master file?

Thanks,

Rizwan

Old Toad

Level 10

207,619 points

Aug 13, 2015 9:50 AM in response to badtz

Here's some food for thought concerned Google:

You might want to reconsider using Chrome as your browser after reading this: Google Chrome Listening In To Your Room Shows The Importance Of Privacy Defense In Depth.

Google is known to "phone home" with users data as was found out with this new Google Photos service: Google Photos may be free — but there's still a cost.

Personally I wouldn't trust any online service for my backups.

sspone

Level 1

0 points

Aug 13, 2015 11:40 AM in response to sspone

And this doesn't work at all. I saved preferences after removing "Master" folder and selecting the Apple Photos Library file directly but Google Photos (Desktop Uploader) doesn't find any new photos now. Even though Flickr finds it with ease. So I tried to delete that and have "Master" folder added again but that doesn't work either. Google just broke this already-broken software 😟 😟 😟

JDW1

Level 1

65 points

Aug 13, 2015 3:31 PM in response to kiyani

kiyani wrote:

I used Google Photos uploader and it uploads the Master copy of the photo and not the Edited version.

If true, then no Mac user should be using the Desktop Uploader app. I know that I haven't used Google Photos at all since my last post here simply because there were too many bugs in that app at the time to make it worth my while. And based on your helpful comment, there is still no reason for any sensible Mac user to use it.

To upload Master pics instead of the edited pics is plain stupid.

JLS_SF

Level 1

0 points

Sep 14, 2015 11:09 PM in response to JDW1

This is a very long thread, and maybe I missed something. I am in the middle of loading the iPhoto library to google (many days left).

Two questions:

1) Can I change to the mac photos application now, or do I need to wait until the sync with google is done.

2) Once I upgrade to mac photos from iphoto, will I see all my old photos in the new application? It seems like migrating them to a new directory structure would make duplicates on google.

I'm sorry, but a couple pet peeves that I just have to state: mac users that bag on other systems (microsoft or google) sound misguided. From the previous post: "To upload Master pics instead of the edited pics is plain stupid." I would say that it is a better idea to upload masters than edited versions, but that is a matter of opinion. And, from the previous post: "based on your helpful comment, there is still no reason for any sensible Mac user to use it." - That says it all.

Oct 2, 2015 6:08 AM in response to JLS_SF

How about...

I'm using Google Drive which stored my backup photos. Google Drive is also located in my HD. I want to browser those photos with Macbook's Photo. Is it possible? I don't want to import the photos manually every time and it will consume much space. Any idea?

ed180002

Level 1

8 points

Sep 11, 2016 6:15 PM in response to LarryHN

I appreciate the question because I am an Iphoto and Mac user who also feels that Photos was a downgrade. I am facing the same challenges. As we are happily using Apple/Mac products I think it is perfectly reasonable to discuss in these forums.

Google Photos (Desktop Uploader) and Photos for Mac?