13 Google Photos settings you should change on a new Android phone or iPhone

Google Photos ships with a number of default settings that are convenient for Google but don't always work in the user's favor. A ZDNet editor shared a 13-item checklist he always runs through on every new Android phone or iPhone before he gives the app access to the camera.

What's wrong with the defaults

Most users accept every setting on first launch. They don't realize that this lets the app sync photos over mobile data, include shooting locations in shared links, and send photos to Google's servers for AI processing.

The problem isn't that these features are bad in themselves. Some of them are genuinely useful. The problem is that users should make a deliberate choice, rather than discover unexpected data usage or a location leak a month later.

Backup and storage

The first group of settings covers backup. By default, Google Photos syncs over any connection, including mobile data. The recommendation is to switch to Wi-Fi only and pick the right upload quality.

• Wi-Fi-only sync is the key setting for saving mobile data
• Upload quality: "Storage saver" saves space, while "Original quality" keeps full quality but fills up the 15 GB of free storage faster
• Excluding folders: screenshots, messaging app photos, and temporary files usually don't need to be in the cloud
• Choosing an account: if you have several Google accounts, make sure backups go to the right one
• Local folders in the feed: by default, Google Photos shows photos that haven't been uploaded to the cloud, which muddies the picture of what's actually backed up

Privacy and location data

Several Google Photos features tie directly into privacy. Face recognition, called "People & Pets," helps you find photos of a specific person, but the biometric data is processed on Google's servers. In some regions, you can turn the feature off.

Location data in links is a separate issue. When you share a photo with a standard link, Google Photos passes the shooting coordinates to the recipient. That means the person on the other end can find out your exact home address or route. You can turn this off in the privacy settings.

"Location data in links is a setting most users don't know about until

they run into the consequences," the ZDNet editor explains.

It's also worth checking which third-party apps can access your library through the Google Photos API. The list may be longer than you expect.

AI features and memories

Google Photos leans heavily on AI: Magic Eraser removes unwanted objects from a shot, Photo Unblur restores blurry photos, and Best Take merges several versions of a group photo into one. All of these features rely on cloud processing.

The "Memories" feature automatically builds collections from photos taken in past years and sometimes surfaces images the user would rather not revisit. In the settings, you can exclude specific dates, people, and time periods from the rotation. You can also turn off automatically generated collages and animations.

What it means

Spending five minutes on Google Photos settings at first launch is an investment in control over your own data. The app remains one of the best photo tools around, but its default configuration is optimized for Google's interests, not the user's. Choosing your settings deliberately gets you the convenience without unnecessary trade-offs.