How do I make Google photos my default photos app on Samsung S8

[moseylevy]

Just switched from iPhone. This is enough to drive me back.

When using facebook or other apps when I try to upload a photo it shows me the Samsung gallery app photo picker. I want to use googles cloud photos where I have thousands of photos.

I know I can go to Google photos app and then upload to Facebook but that doesn't help if I'm trying to post a photo in the comments of a post on Facebook which I do often.

Im not looking to save the photo to my camera roll from Google photos to Samsung gallery. It's not worth the extra steps.

Cloud photos should be easy and I'm not going to use Samsung cloud photos.

So my options are figure out how to trick the Samsung into using Google photos as default, getting a Google pixel, or going back to iPhone where the cloud photos worked perfectly for me.

 

[anon(238680)]

Try going to Settings, Apps Manager, All and find Gallery. You should see a setting for "default". Clear that. Hopefully, next time you post a pic you should see a popup with both apps and you can then reset your default to Google. You may have to play around in Settings to find the right combo, but this should bet you started.

 

[erasat]

Just switched from iPhone. This is enough to drive me back.

When using facebook or other apps when I try to upload a photo it shows me the Samsung gallery app photo picker. I want to use googles cloud photos where I have thousands of photos.

I know I can go to Google photos app and then upload to Facebook but that doesn't help if I'm trying to post a photo in the comments of a post on Facebook which I do often.

Im not looking to save the photo to my camera roll from Google photos to Samsung gallery. It's not worth the extra steps.

Cloud photos should be easy and I'm not going to use Samsung cloud photos.

So my options are figure out how to trick the Samsung into using Google photos as default, getting a Google pixel, or going back to iPhone where the cloud photos worked perfectly for me.

I really can't remember how it worked a couple of months back when I was using the iPhone 7 plus as I don't use Facebook too much but remind me something, isn't the default location on the Facebook app for iPhone/iPad the Camera Roll? I mean, I typing this from my iPad and I just checked and if I try to do the same that you are saying here it goes to Camera roll.

So if I'm right then it seems to me that you are just not giving the S8 a fair try my friend. I was commenting yesterday here that it never ceases to amaze me the amount of iPhone switchers that wants everything to keep working on Android like it worked on iOS, and as soon as they find something that doesn't work like that the first thing they think is to go back to their iPhone.

My comment above is just because you are using iCloud on iPhone but you simply rejects to use Samsung Cloud, I think you should try to the same thing in both. Second, I may be wrong but I also have Google Photos installed in my iPad but I don't see a way to browse or select them while trying to do what you want to do.

Correct me if I'm wrong but at least on Android you have options like the one posted before me, so did I miss something here or are you just complaining that you can't do something that you can't do on iPhone either?

 

[SlippySlimm]

Just switched from iPhone. This is enough to drive me back.

When using facebook or other apps when I try to upload a photo it shows me the Samsung gallery app photo picker. I want to use googles cloud photos where I have thousands of photos.

I know I can go to Google photos app and then upload to Facebook but that doesn't help if I'm trying to post a photo in the comments of a post on Facebook which I do often.

Im not looking to save the photo to my camera roll from Google photos to Samsung gallery. It's not worth the extra steps.

Cloud photos should be easy and I'm not going to use Samsung cloud photos.

So my options are figure out how to trick the Samsung into using Google photos as default, getting a Google pixel, or going back to iPhone where the cloud photos worked perfectly for me.

But how did you get to your Google photos app when you go to comment on something with a photo on the iPhone? I just picked up my iPhone 7 plus to test this, and I see no option for Google photos from the drop down menu on the iPhone. So, it doesn't seem like you could do what you want to do on the iPhone either.

Having said that, it's a bunch of crap that the Android Facebook app doesn't even give you drop down menu options. Just a wall of all your photos to have to scroll through. iPhone Facebook app at least gives you the option of bouncing around different folders of pictures you might have.

 

[Wbutchart]

Google photos...share....Facebook.

 

[SlippySlimm]

I really can't remember how it worked a couple of months back when I was using the iPhone 7 plus as I don't use Facebook too much but remind me something, isn't the default location on the Facebook app for iPhone/iPad the Camera Roll? I mean, I typing this from my iPad and I just checked and if I try to do the same that you are saying here it goes to Camera roll.

So if I'm right then it seems to me that you are just not giving the S8 a fair try my friend. I was commenting yesterday here that it never ceases to amaze me the amount of iPhone switchers that wants everything to keep working on Android like it worked on iOS, and as soon as they find something that doesn't work like that the first thing they think is to go back to their iPhone.

My comment above is just because you are using iCloud on iPhone but you simply rejects to use Samsung Cloud, I think you should try to the same thing in both. Second, I may be wrong but I also have Google Photos installed in my iPad but I don't see a way to browse or select them while trying to do what you want to do.

Correct me if I'm wrong but at least on Android you have options like the one posted before me, so did I miss something here or are you just complaining that you can't do something that you can't do on iPhone either?

Your assumption that OP isn't giving the s8 a fair try is wrong. There's some major differences​ between Android and iOS apps, and there's minor ones too. Some benefiting the Android side. Some the iOS side. This is nothing new. It has nothing to do with not giving the s8 a fair try. There's just a few things that are fundamentally wrong with the Facebook app on the Android side that aren't present on the iOS side, and I can see how it'd be frustrating to someone who utilizes the app often. Simple as that. If that's important to OP, who are you to judge? And where does Samsung cloud and iCloud fit into this conversation? The "option" posted before you is no fix for what OP has an issue with. There are no defaults set for the gallery app on my phone and I'm noticing the same inconsistencies between the Android and iOS Facebook app, with no option popping up anywhere on the Android side to allow me to browse by folder like on the iOS side. So, that point is moot.

You are correct, however, that Google photos was never an option, with what OP wants to do, on the iOS side either.

 

[SlippySlimm]

Google photos...share....Facebook.

OP acknowledged that already... Try reading it one more time...

 

[erasat]

Your assumption that OP isn't giving the s8 a fair try is wrong. There's some major differences​ between Android and iOS apps, and there's minor ones too. Some benefiting the Android side. Some the iOS side. This is nothing new. It has nothing to do with not giving the s8 a fair try. There's just a few things that are fundamentally wrong with the Facebook app on the Android side that aren't present on the iOS side, and I can see how it'd be frustrating to someone who utilizes the app often. Simple as that. If that's important to OP, who are you to judge? And where does Samsung cloud and iCloud fit into this conversation? The "option" posted before you is no fix for what OP has an issue with. There are no defaults set for the gallery app on my phone and I'm noticing the same inconsistencies between the Android and iOS Facebook app, with no option popping up anywhere on the Android side to allow me to browse by folder like on the iOS side. So, that point is moot.

You are correct, however, that Google photos was never an option, with what OP wants to do, on the iOS side either.

Your tone is way too aggressive dude, when I was just trying to explain the OP that things are not and will never be the same on both OS, so people making the switch MUST get around the idea of that.

All my comments were related to every point he made on his post. He talked about Samsung Cloud and I mentioned that by not wanting to use it on the S8 made it "unfair" because he most likely is using icloud on iPhone like most of other users, Nowhere I mentioned that by doing this will fix his issues.

My other comment about people switching back to iOS at the first bump in the road still stands and reading the OP just reminded me that and a discussion we were having on this forum in another thread, that's all, if you don't see the similitudes then good for you. But if by not having an option to select Google Photos from the Facebook app is a valid reason to go back to iPhone where that option doesn't exists either, doesn't mean that he is not giving it a fair try, then I don't know what else to tell you. No I'm not judging him, he can do what he pleases, it's his money and his decision, simply not making a fair comparison.

 

[Wbutchart]

OP acknowledged that already... Try reading it one more time...

Really... What has got you so irritable your having a go at people here?

 

[dov1978]

I'm pretty certain that when I installed Google Photos on my s8+ it asked me when I opened the app if I wanted to set it as my default photos app

 

[moseylevy]

I don't want to use Samsung cloud. Who cares why.

On iOS I used icloud photo library not Google photos. I did have Google photos on in the background syncing photos as a double measure. Now that I'm on Android (and enjoying it) I went to Google photos because it pretty much had most my photos on it since it was syncing on iOS for years.

Coming to Android where I can set almost any app as a default I'm shocked that I'm being forced to use a specific photo app as my default.

I understand this is a Samsung implementation but it seriously hampers my work flow. Enough so that I'd go back to iOS or give the pixel a try. I understand the pixel uses Google photos as the default photos app.

My question was - Is there a way around this on the S8. If you don't like my opinions methods or work flows please understand that doesn't relate to the question.

Can I use Google photos as the default picker instead of Samsung gallery when using apps like Facebook or any other app that brings up a photo picker.

 

[erasat]

I don't want to use Samsung cloud. Who cares why.

On iOS I used icloud photo library not Google photos. I did have Google photos on in the background syncing photos as a double measure. Now that I'm on Android (and enjoying it) I went to Google photos because it pretty much had most my photos on it since it was syncing on iOS for years.

Coming to Android where I can set almost any app as a default I'm shocked that I'm being forced to use a specific photo app as my default.

I understand this is a Samsung implementation but it seriously hampers my work flow. Enough so that I'd go back to iOS or give the pixel a try. I understand the pixel uses Google photos as the default photos app.

My question was - Is there a way around this on the S8. If you don't like my opinions methods or work flows please understand that doesn't relate to the question.

Can I use Google photos as the default picker instead of Samsung gallery when using apps like Facebook or any other app that brings up a photo picker.

It seems that today people woke up from the wrong side of the bed, they seem to be too irritable to post on public forums.

Anyway, I'll just mention that at least you can try what was suggested above, Uninstall Google Photos, reinstall it and see if after opening it the first time it ask you to set it as the default photos app.

For the rest, you are right, who cares why and that your opinions are that, yours, so like I mentioned before, you can do what you want, at the end of the day, that's the only thing that matters, BUT, you are just contradicting yourself, you are saying that you use iCloud while on iPhone and want to use Google Photos while on Android, that's good, but coming back to your original question i still fail to see the relevance of all this in your OP and your clearly idea to just go back because of this. Why? Stay with me here and let me know if I'm right or wrong.

When you are using an iphone and want to do what you want to do, you go to Facebook, go to a post and then to comments, when you are there it allows you to open actual photos or take one, if you go to your photos it opens the photo library that is linked to the cloud, so in your case it does the job because all your photos are there. But if you delete any photo on your library it also deletes it from the cloud, so basically is the same that just using local photos. But at least it does the job.

Now on the S8, the way you have it is that you have all your photos on Google Photos and not in your phone so when you try to do the same on the Facebook app it won't do the job. I get that, but listen, and this is why I mention the orange to orange comparison, if you would do the same on the IPhone, and not keeping your photos in the Photo library and just on Google Photos you wouldn't be able to make it work for you on the iPhone either.

So for me, if you allow yourself to use Samsung Cloud to backup all your photos online then you would also be able to do the same on the S8 without any issues. Did you get my point now? No, I'm not telling you what to do, you came here asking how to do this, and you have been given already an option to try and if it works, great, but if not, then you're only other option is what I'm saying here. If you want to do it or not, yes, you are also right, it's definitely up to you, and only your decision to make.

 

[moseylevy]

Ok deal breaker. Returning it. Bummer.
Edit: didn't see your post above.

 

[moseylevy]

It seems that today people woke up from the wrong side of the bed, they seem to be too irritable to post on public forums.

Anyway, I'll just mention that at least you can try what was suggested above, Uninstall Google Photos, reinstall it and see if after opening it the first time it ask you to set it as the default photos app.

For the rest, you are right, who cares why and that your opinions are that, yours, so like I mentioned before, you can do what you want, at the end of the day, that's the only thing that matters, BUT, you are just contradicting yourself, you are saying that you use iCloud while on iPhone and want to use Google Photos while on Android, that's good, but coming back to your original question i still fail to see the relevance of all this in your OP and your clearly idea to just go back because of this. Why? Stay with me here and let me know if I'm right or wrong.

When you are using an iphone and want to do what you want to do, you go to Facebook, go to a post and then to comments, when you are there it allows you to open actual photos or take one, if you go to your photos it open the photo library that is linked to the cloud, so in your case it does the job because all your photos are there. But if you delete any photo on your library it also deletes it from the cloud, so basically is the same that just using local photos. But at least it does the job.

Now on the S8, the way you have it is that you have all your photos on Google Photos and not in your phone so when you try to do the same on the Facebook app it won't do the job. I get that, but listen, and this is why I mention the orange to orange comparison, if you would do the same on the IPhone, and not keeping your photos in the Photo library and just on Google Photos you wouldn't be able to make it for you either on the iPhone.

So for me, if you allow yourself to use Samsung Cloud to backup all your photos online then you would also be able to do the same on the S8 without any issues. Did you get my point now? No, I'm not telling you what to do, you came here asking how to do this, and you have been given already an option to try and if it works, great, but if not, then you're only other option is what I'm saying here. If you want to do it or not, yes, you are also right, it's definitely up to you, and only your decision to make.

All my photos are already in icloud and in Google photos. I'm not putting them in a 3rd cloud. It would take forever and I'm not sure it's worth it. Especially because I don't even know if Samsung has a Mac app of any sort of a good web experience. I also don't trust Samsung with my photos. They make fine hardware I just don't think of them as a true cloud player.

I'm going to get an older nexus 5X and use it for a few months until the iPhone 8 and Google pixel 2 come out. But I doubt I'm going Samsung again. Sucks because this phone really is sexy.

 

[erasat]

Ok good luck to you then, but for the benefit of others that may be in your same situation, did you ever try to do what was suggested before, uninstalling and reinstalling Google photos to see if it asks you to be your default photos app?

 

[moseylevy]

Ok good luck to you then, but for the benefit of others that may be in your same situation, did you ever try to do what was suggested before, uninstalling and reinstalling Google photos to see if it asks you to be your default photos app?

Yes. Didn't work. I even cleared the gallery app as default and set Google photos app as default for photos but other apps still insisted on using gallery picker when trying to upload photos. Bummer.

 

[CincyGuy]

Hmm, the OP is right. I just tried using the little photo-posting button in the FB app and opens up Gallery for you to select picture. I know Google Photos is my default app for photos, but I went into the Apps setting and hit default again for it but no dice. Strange decision on the part of FB to hard-code the Gallery app into that action.

Funny, I've never used that little button in the photo app to add a picture to FB. Didn't even really know it was there. Every single time I have added pics to FB I do it in Google photos and select the pic(s) and hit the share button, choosing FB which then brings up the FB app. I find it a bit odd that this one issue is a deal-breaker for the OP on keeping the phone. He must log serious hours using FB, and this just messes up his flow!

To each their own, but certainly no need for the cranky responses that have occurred on this thread. There are plenty of flaws on the S8 we can all complain about, and this happens to be one important to the OP. I have my list and am waiting to see if Google can fix enough of them with the Pixel 2 to make me switch.

 

[SlippySlimm]

Really... What has got you so irritable your having a go at people here?

Not sure what makes you think I'm "irritable" or that I'm having a go at people. You people are so sensitive... Nobody was being attached by what I wrote. I'm always in a fine mood and rarely "irritable"... I just simply suggested you read it again. My deepest apologies if that hurt your feelings.../s

 

[moseylevy]

Hmm, the OP is right. I just tried using the little photo-posting button in the FB app and opens up Gallery for you to select picture. I know Google Photos is my default app for photos, but I went into the Apps setting and hit default again for it but no dice. Strange decision on the part of FB to hard-code the Gallery app into that action.

Funny, I've never used that little button in the photo app to add a picture to FB. Didn't even really know it was there. Every single time I have added pics to FB I do it in Google photos and select the pic(s) and hit the share button, choosing FB which then brings up the FB app. I find it a bit odd that this one issue is a deal-breaker for the OP on keeping the phone. He must log serious hours using FB, and this just messes up his flow!

To each their own, but certainly no need for the cranky responses that have occurred on this thread. There are plenty of flaws on the S8 we can all complain about, and this happens to be one important to the OP. I have my list and am waiting to see if Google can fix enough of them with the Pixel 2 to make me switch.

It's most apps including tapatalk.
Either way I am very active in Facebook groups and it happens to be a feature I use very often.

Between that and no system ui tuner I'm thinking I should go for a pixel or pixel 2 when it comes out.

 

[Green Samot]

This is more a Facebook issue isn't it? In Facebook I can see the problem, but in other apps such as Twitter or Instagram you have the option to select different albums including Google Photos.
Had never noticed the problem in Facebook before.