Samsung Gallery can sync selected photos and videos from a compatible device to a personal Google Account, making those items viewable in Google Photos. The files use your Google Account storage and are backed up in original quality. The most important thing to know before enabling it: deleting a synced item in either app deletes it from both apps and cloud storage.
What Samsung Gallery syncs to Google Photos
Gallery Cloud Sync connects Samsung’s Gallery app to a Google Account. It can sync device photos and videos, including selected albums and local folders such as Downloads or Screenshots. You can leave some folders enabled while stopping the main camera roll from syncing.
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Synced items can be viewed and shared in Google Photos and are available across linked Samsung devices. This does not make every item in your Google Photos library available in Samsung Gallery: Samsung’s access is limited to media originally backed up through this Samsung sync. Synced information can include album details, timestamps, location, and favorite status.
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Google’s current help page specifies a compatible Samsung device, Android 17, and a personal Google Account. Supervised Google Accounts and Google Workspace accounts are excluded. Google also says availability can vary by account type, device model, and region.
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Samsung India’s support guidance, updated October 1, 2026, describes availability on devices running One UI 9.0 or later. Because the two official pages state requirements differently, neither should be treated as a universal device rule. Check whether the option appears on your device and consult Samsung support for your region.
Turn on Gallery Cloud Sync
- Open Samsung Gallery.
- Tap Menu > Settings.
- Select Sync photos and videos.
- Follow the prompts to choose a Google Account and authorize media syncing.
A network connection is required. Samsung says changes sync automatically when the connection returns; menu wording and availability can vary.
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- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
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Choose albums and folders carefully
Review the album or folder selections in the sync settings. You can exclude the camera roll while keeping specific folders, such as screenshots or downloads, included. This is useful if you want a narrower backup, but it also means an item in an excluded folder will not be covered by this Gallery sync.
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Gallery-synced media uses Google Account storage and is backed up in original quality. Samsung Japan’s 2026 support page describes a standard free allowance of 15 GB and identifies Google One as an option for additional capacity. That is regional guidance, not a guarantee of the storage terms available in every country; check your account’s current storage details.
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Google Photos supports basic viewing and sharing for media synced through Samsung Gallery Cloud Sync. Google says these items are excluded from features such as Memories and highlights, live albums, and Search unless they are also backed up through Google Photos.
Understand deletion, space cleanup, and edits
Deleting a synced item removes it everywhere
Deleting a synced photo or video in Samsung Gallery or Google Photos removes it from both apps and from cloud storage. Do not use either app’s delete action if your goal is only to remove the device copy while retaining the cloud copy.
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Free up space is different from deleting
Google Photos’ Free up space feature removes local copies that Google says are safely backed up, while leaving cloud copies in Google Photos. Those files may no longer appear as local items in Samsung Gallery, although cloud-synced media may remain viewable there through enabled Gallery folders.
Edits may leave more than one version
Edits to synced photos are backed up, and you may see both the original and edited version. Google describes special handling for edits made in Google Photos or on the web, so do not assume every edit overwrites the Samsung Gallery original.
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Turn off syncing or unlink Gallery
Switching off Sync photos and videos in Samsung Gallery stops new uploads. Media already backed up remains in your Google Account and accessible in Google Photos. Turning off the switch does not, by itself, remove the account link or stop data sharing with Samsung. To end the links, unlink Gallery Cloud Sync separately in your Google Account’s linked-app settings.
Quick Recap
Find photos that appear to be missing
- In Samsung Gallery, check which Google Account is selected for sync.
- Confirm the Gallery sync switch is on and that the relevant album or folder is selected.
- Check that the device has a network connection; pending changes sync when connectivity returns.
- In Google Photos, open Photos settings > Back up and verify the backup account and folder settings.
- Check Google Photos’ backup status. Seeing a photo in the app does not necessarily mean it was backed up to the account currently selected.
Google’s instructions: Check your backup status.
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