The company has made an announcement today that Google Photos will henceforth synchronize private photos stored in the Locked Folder across all devices via cloud backup. The Locked Folder was initially introduced in May 2021, providing Android users with a secure space to store private photos protected by a passcode. This feature ensures that the photos remain inaccessible to unauthorized individuals who may access the Photos app or display their photos on a connected TV.
Previously, these photos were restricted to a single device, typically the user’s Android phone. However, with the new cloud backup feature, users can now access their private and personal photos from any device they own. Furthermore, users can now set up a Locked Folder on their iOS devices and the web, in addition to Android.
You also have the option to turn on backup for the Locked Folder, which means if you don’t want its content to sync to other devices, you can choose to keep the backup toggled off.
Nothing else is changing about how the Locked Folder works. Your private photos and videos from this folder won’t appear in the grid, in Memories, or in albums, and won’t come up when you search Google Photos.
This update follows the addition earlier this month of a new scrapbook-like Memories feature, aided by AI in the Google Photos app. But users are still waiting on a bigger release: the promised AI-powered Magic Editor announced earlier this year at Google’s developer conference.
Along with the changes to the Locked Folder, Google is also updating its Settings page in the app with a new layout designed to make it easier to navigate to various sections for privacy, backup, sharing, and notifications, the company noted.
Image Credits: Google
This new settings page is available now on iOS and Android, while the Locked Folder changes will start rolling out today.
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