Cloud-based photo backup has long been one of Google's top choices, although lately, the changes Google Photos has undertaken have left many of its users frustrated, especially with the partner sharing feature it's introduced.
The recent concern changed the way some photos and screenshots are shared, leaving questions open about its intent and user experience.
Google Photos Partner Sharing Gets a Stealth Update
In late October, Google quietly modified how it handles partner sharing. According to Google's updated support page, the screenshots and images taken from third-party Android apps will not be shared with a partner account anymore. This change was first caught by users on Reddit and a very exhaustive write-up from Tech-Issues Today.
The Google Photos now clearly states, "Photos from other apps on Android aren't shared with your partner account." This now means that it will not share some screenshots or any image saved by apps, such as Instagram or third-party camera tools.
Read Also: Google Photos: Block People, Faces from Memories of Old Media
How This Glaring Issue Impacts Google Photos Users
Screenshots and images generated by the app would automatically sync in the library to the shared account of the partner. Now, only the primary account holder can view these.
According to Google, the change was made in the interest of the user's expectations but ended up turning things against third-party app users like Instagram.
The functionality is based on photo metadata and not the folder where the picture is stored. Users have reported that in instances where they were editing such a picture—it might have added an applied filter or altered its colors, for instance—it became visible to the partner account. This whole process, however, defeats the purpose of sharing without much hassle.
No Workaround Is Available for This for Non-Technical Users
As of now, there is no easy fix to undo this. Some advanced Reddit users recommended methods including root access and using Magisk, but these solutions are not practical to be useable by average people.
Why Did Google Do This?
Google has conveniently kept mum on the reasons for the update, with one employee simply saying that it was done better to align with the needs of most users, per The Verge. However, an option to opt-in or opt-out has not been presented, which makes it rather unclear to the user as to what is being shared and with whom.
Google Photos Limitations Are Out of Place
One of the most serious implications is that users who rely on Google Photos to automatically share photos with their partners will now have to do this sharing or edit in order not to run into this restriction.
Third-party applications are where you find yourself most often because those are applications that Google has neither further information on nor future plans to make the feature more personalizable.
Users have to adapt to this new scenario as they wait for updates that might eventually make it better to use.
Somehow, this is one of the few glitches that Google Photos has encountered. A few months ago, Google allowed us to hide our clutter in the folders. If you don't want someone to see your "memeable" pictures like your childhood or teenage photos, this is the feature that you need to use.
Related Article: How to Seamlessly Transfer Images From Google Photos to iCloud
