Pixel & Google Photos storage: How quick is file transfer?

[tengopregunta]

Hi,
Since the Pixel & Pixel 2 does not have expandable storage, I'm relying on Google's offer of unlimited storage on Google Photos to replace the need for a microSD card. My concern with that is how quick it is to transfer files, specifically video, between devices.

I like to edit videos on my Mac, transfer it onto my microSD card, and then transfer that to my phone to upload it to social media like Instagram. In my experience with my ole Note3, uploading video to Google Photos and transferring video from it is a very slow process compared to just dragging files onto the microSD card. Does anyone have experience with the Pixel, if upload/transfer of video to Google Photos is particularly quick?

Thanks

 

[QuayDog17]

While I don't have a Pixel, I've had several devices, the last three of which are the S8+, LG G6, and the Nexus 6P. I've always found the upload process to be fairly quick, even for video. Of course, if you have a massive file, it'll take a bit. But, even some of my video files with several hundred megabytes don't take that long.

Now, as I have one of the old Grandfathered Unlimited Data plans, I leave data upload on as well. It all just depends on your available speeds.

 

[klau25]

I guess it's just depends on your internet connection. Photos get uploaded to Google photos automatically when you choose that option in the app. I set it so it only uploads on a wifi connection. It happens in the background, so all my photos are usually there already when I look at them on a desktop. There's used to be an option to only upload when the phone is plugged but that is gone now. You can also choose to manually upload them at anytime if you want to. For photos it's pretty quick to upload, videos can take longer depends on the length and resolution of the video. It used to be slow, but I did noticed some improvements recently. So really it depends on how long it takes you to download the photos to your Mac for edit. I assume that should be fairly quick.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Hi,
Since the Pixel & Pixel 2 does not have expandable storage, I'm relying on Google's offer of unlimited storage on Google Photos to replace the need for a microSD card. My concern with that is how quick it is to transfer files, specifically video, between devices.

I like to edit videos on my Mac, transfer it onto my microSD card, and then transfer that to my phone to upload it to social media like Instagram. In my experience with my ole Note3, uploading video to Google Photos and transferring video from it is a very slow process compared to just dragging files onto the microSD card. Does anyone have experience with the Pixel, if upload/transfer of video to Google Photos is particularly quick?

Thanks

All depends on your WiFi speed, or, if you enable Cellular for backup, your Cellular speed.

That said... There may be a concern or two concerning your process and eligibility for unlimited full resolution storage. First off, this unlimited offer is only for media captured by your Pixel, so if you have video captured by any other source it will go against your normal limit. Second, and this is a question to which I don't know the answer, is whether or not video captured by the Pixel, transferred to and edited on a separate device, then returned to the Pixel, is eligible.

 

[anon(448477)]

Stupid question - after they've uploaded, how do you remove them from your device to free up space?

 

[Richard Servello]

How fast is your connection. Question answered.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Stupid question - after they've uploaded, how do you remove them from your device to free up space?

Unless Photos is different on the Pixel 2/XL, open the Photos app, click on the 3 horizontal bars on the upper left, and click on "Free up space" - that will clear all photos/videos that have been successfully backed up.