GoKawiilMegan Ellis / Android Authority
TL;DR Google Photos is preparing an “Overnight backup” feature to work around background backup delays caused by Android background limits like Doze mode.
The feature will require keeping the app open in the foreground, plugging the phone into a charger, and leaving the device unlocked, while the app dims your screen to black.
We’ve also spotted warnings for when the device gets too hot, as well as toggles for Wi-Fi or mobile data usage.
Google Photos is one of the best cloud backup options for photos and videos on Android, especially if you prefer a set-and-forget approach (as long as you have free storage). However, Google doesn’t give you much control over when these cloud backups are actually undertaken, and you’ll also find yourself restricted by Android’s background limits in some instances. Google is now preparing a dedicated workaround: an upcoming “Overnight backup” feature designed to keep uploads running at full speed while you sleep.
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Android’s Doze mode and other limits are designed to minimize battery drain when you’re not using your phone. But as you’d expect, these limitations also affect how apps can work in the background.
Ideally, Google Photos should still continue backing up your media when your phone is charging and not in use, and you are on an unmetered connection, even if you haven’t opened the app in a while. However, users have long complained that this doesn’t always work that way, and that Google Photos stops backing up photos in the background despite being granted exceptions for background use. There are also instances where you’ve clicked a lot of photos and videos and want them uploaded right away, rather than waiting for ideal conditions for Photos to upload them slowly.
Strings within Google Photos v7.89.0.966319819 highlight the upcoming Overnight backup feature, which gives you a more reliable and quicker way to back up media when your phone is not in use:
Code Copy Text <string name="photos_backup_overnight_intro_title">Overnight backup</string> <string name="photos_backup_overnight_intro_subtitle">Backing up is slower when you’re not using the app. Overnight backup keeps the app open and backing up without any interruptions.</string>
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