Google Launches 'Backup and Sync' Mac App for Google Photos and Google Drive

[MacRumors]

Google today announced the launch of Backup and Sync, a new app for Macs and PCs that's designed to back up files and photos safely in Google Drive and Google Photos. The new app is meant to replace the existing Google Photos desktop uploader and Drive for Mac/PC.

To use Backup and Sync, Google Drive/Photos users just need to download the app and then choose the folders they want to back up. From there, the selected folders will be continually backed up to Google's services, providing an alternative to Time Machine and making it easier to automatically store important files in the cloud.

In addition to specific folders on a Mac or PC, Backup and Sync can also automatically import files from SD cards and USB devices when a camera, SD card, or other device is connected to a computer.

There are also specific options users can set to dictate how file deletions are handled, and users can choose to upload photos at a lower quality if space is a concern.

Backup and Sync is available starting today through Google Drive and Google Photos.

Article Link: Google Launches 'Backup and Sync' Mac App for Google Photos and Google Drive

 

[bigjnyc]

Nooooo thank you

 

[jonnysods]

Does it do Photos libraries?

 

[expiredyogurt]

Been waiting for this to launch now. It was supposed to launch back in june but ofcourse they delayed it and finally it's here.

I'm gonna test it out with my son's pc and see how it goes. It's mainly ms paint drawings that he has and whatnot so I'm not too scared about the privacy issues that people are whining about.

It would definitely be a good alternative to time machine as well

 

[zorinlynx]

I'm surprised Google has not come out with an app equivalent to Photos.app for MacOS and Windows.

Android users don't have a nice app like we do that stays synced automatically and keeps a constant local copy of your library. They can only view their photos on the website.

Google would do well releasing a Photos.app equivalent. I wonder why they won't.

 

[Pman17]

Sweet! I can finally get my OneDrive on my "Unlimited" Drive.

 

[motm95]

I swear, Google is the king of replacing and deprecating its services for something new that basically does the same thing. Kind of annoying.

 

[raazman]

I swear, Google is the king of replacing and deprecating its services for something new that basically does the same thing. Kind of annoying.

This is not the same thing.

 

[canadianreader]

iCloud is good enough

 

[benz240]

I'm surprised Google has not come out with an app equivalent to Photos.app for MacOS and Windows.

Android users don't have a nice app like we do that stays synced automatically and keeps a constant local copy of your library. They can only view their photos on the website.

Google would do well releasing a Photos.app equivalent. I wonder why they won't.

I miss Picasa

 

[sevoneone]

I'm surprised Google has not come out with an app equivalent to Photos.app for MacOS and Windows.

Android users don't have a nice app like we do that stays synced automatically and keeps a constant local copy of your library. They can only view their photos on the website.

Google would do well releasing a Photos.app equivalent. I wonder why they won't.

Do you mean like the Google Photos app available for Android and iOS? It is an awesome app on both iOS and Android. I prefer it to the built in Photos app in iOS. I am not sure where you got the impression that Android users were stuck using a web app? It is particularly good if you have devices on both platforms and want to access your photos across all of them. Unlimited storage if you don't mind it scaling photos over 16 megapixels (iPhone is 12) isn't bad either. Though it would be nice if they would release a storage option between the 100GB and 1TB plans.

I swear, Google is the king of replacing and deprecating its services for something new that basically does the same thing. Kind of annoying.

This isn't replacing or depreciating anything, rather enhancing and combining the experience of two existing products. Despite their knack for creating promising products and then slowly ruining them, Google has done a pretty good job with their Photos platform. Just wish they would have created an updated version of Picasa or new standalone desktop app to integrate with it.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

From there, the selected folders will be continually backed up to Google's services, providing an alternative to Time Machine and making it easier to automatically store important files in the cloud.

Time Machine is more than just backup though. It also has versioning, which is very handy when I want to go back to an older version of something.

 

[macLifestyle]

This is not "...an alternative to Time Machine." Time Machine is a local backup. Google Drive is a remote backup. They are fundamentally different. Both local backups and remote backups are part of a complete backup plan. It could correctly be said Google Drive is an alternative to iCloud backup.

 

[xpxp2002]

This is not "...an alternative to Time Machine." Time Machine is a local backup. Google Drive is a remote backup. They are fundamentally different. Both local backups and remote backups are part of a complete backup plan. It could correctly be said Google Drive is an alternative to iCloud backup.

Right. I'm certain it doesn't back up system preferences or installed apps, either.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Google today announced the launch of Backup and Sync, a new app for Macs and PCs that's designed to back up files and photos safely in Google Drive and Google Photos. The new app is meant to replace the existing Google Photos desktop uploader and Drive for Mac/PC.

To use Backup and Sync, Google Drive/Photos users just need to download the app and then choose the folders they want to back up. From there, the selected folders will be continually backed up to Google's services, providing an alternative to Time Machine and making it easier to automatically store important files in the cloud.

In addition to specific folders on a Mac or PC, Backup and Sync can also automatically import files from SD cards and USB devices when a camera, SD card, or other device is connected to a computer.

There are also specific options users can set to dictate how file deletions are handled, and users can choose to upload photos at a lower quality if space is a concern.

Backup and Sync is available starting today through Google Drive and Google Photos.

Article Link: Google Launches 'Backup and Sync' Mac App for Google Photos and Google Drive

They lie. They say it works with MacOS Versions 10.9+. It does not work with APFS.

 

[subjonas]

So how does pricing work? Photos are free with certain limitations, and for other file types you use up your regular google storage subscription tier?

Doesn't google scan all my photos and files? I'm not comfortable with that. Does iCloud have a selective folder sync feature?

 

[Internet Enzyme]

So how does pricing work? Photos are free with certain limitations, and for other file types you use up your regular google storage subscription tier?

Doesn't google scan all my photos and files? I'm not comfortable with that. Does iCloud have a selective folder sync feature?

With iCloud, files you drag into the iCloud Drive sidebar in Finder will be synced

 

[subjonas]

With iCloud, files you drag into the iCloud Drive sidebar in Finder will be synced

Bummer

 

[bartvk]

Time Machine is more than just backup though. It also has versioning, which is very handy when I want to go back to an older version of something.

So it is just sync, instead of backup and sync? That would seem very misleading.

 

[itsmilo]

I hope this works better than their uploader. I have had a certain amount of images (about 25) sitting there for whatever reason failing to upload

 

[dannys1]

Great, now I can have my entire hard drives content backed up to Googles servers via my Google Fibre connection, via my Google wifi using Google DNS and get notified about it in my Googlemail.

OK Google, how much do you know about me now?

 

[Ener Ji]

I'm surprised Google has not come out with an app equivalent to Photos.app for MacOS and Windows.

Android users don't have a nice app like we do that stays synced automatically and keeps a constant local copy of your library. They can only view their photos on the website.

Google would do well releasing a Photos.app equivalent. I wonder why they won't.

Picasa was a pretty great app back in the day, but Google wanted to focus on web applications. See here for more details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picasa

 

[alexclst]

Now just to wait for the Google Drive iOS app to get an update that supports these new Computer folders so I can get to this stuff on my iPhone and iPad.

Also, a little disappointed that this won't sync two of the same folders between computers. It'd have been nice to be able to sync my Desktop folders through this... Would've done that with iCloud except that I don't want my Documents folders synced (mostly do that anyway through symlinks to folders in Box, dropbox, etc.).

 

[expiredyogurt]

Did the initial back up and sync but I can't find the folder on my gdrive like that said it would be.

I had to go to the recent file uploads, open the info and select the folder location of it. There is no way to location the folder when you're in gdrive.

unless I miss something, this is a huge oversight?

 

[JGIGS]

iCloud is good enough

iCloud is expensive and doesn't give nearly the same amount of free storage. Also isn't friendly with non Apple products. Big difference.