How do I transfer photos from my Galaxy S9+ so that they automatically backup to Google Photos?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Android Central Question
  • Start date Start date
A

Android Central Question

Prior to the Android Pie release, I used an OTG cable to transfer my photos from my SD card to my Galaxy S9+. Once I transferred them through the 'My Files' app, Google Photos would detect the new file added and ask if I wanted to backup the file. It was a very automatic process and was done quickly. Since the Pie release, and it might be me, but that process changed and has become lengthy and confusing. I've found that I have to create a folder in the gallery first and then choose which images to transfer over (now there's a limit to the amount that I can transfer at one time and there wasn't prior to the release) and Google Photos no longer detects the new file that I've added in Gallery. I'm a photographer and I transfer over a great deal of images. Over the last couple of months, I've lost several hundred in the new process. Please tell me there's an easier way!
 
Android handles media files (like pictures) with Media Scan. It builds a database of all media files on the device, so that every media-centric app doesn't have to search the entire device every time it's run. Media Scan runs when Android starts or restarts, or when doing something media-centric, like taking a picture - but not when copying files. So after you finish copying all your files restart.

As for not copying them at once, most USB chips overheat and quit when you try to feed a lot of files through them at once so I guess that, rather than get complaints about the chip in your camera or PC causing a problem, Google decided to eliminate the cause of the problem on their end.