How to Auto Sync Files and Photos to Google Drive on Android
Today, smartphones are more than just devices for answering calls and messages. They are almost equivalent to PCs. From e-mails to creating your spreadsheet and editing images, smartphones let you do a lot of things. Although they have a major flaw – Android phones do not back up and sync files and photos with Google Photos by default.
Your photos and videos may have been synced to Google Drive via Google Photos. In June 2020, Google decided to end the process of synchronizing files between Drive and Photos.
So how do you do your work? Well, at Guiding Tech, we've found a way to sync files and photos between your Android phone and Google Drive. And the good news is that it's not just photos, but all files.
Obviously, we will have to take help of a third party application. In our case, the application in question is the aptly named FolderSync.
It's a simple application with a ton of features. From two-way sync to weekly sync, it lets you play with many different options.
How to set up automatic synchronization between Android and Google Drive
Step 1: Obviously, the first step is to login and set up your Google Account. Once the application has been downloaded and all permissions have been granted, tap Accounts.
Then select Google Drive from the drop-down list.
2nd step: Then you have to give the account a name. In my case, I chose to go there with an abbreviated form of my name.
Once you have defined the name, tap Authenticate. The application will take you to the Google Accounts page to get permissions. Then click Allow and the first step of automatic synchronization is complete.
Once the account is linked and logged in, you will see it under the Accounts tab.
How to configure folder synchronization
Step 1: Once you have configured FolderSync, you must select the folders you want to synchronize. All you have to do is choose the folders and that's about it all.
To do this, press Folderpairs and you will see the linked account on the next page. But before that, you will have to give a name to Sync.
Then, tap Sync Type and choose one of the sync types. By default, you can choose between Local Folder, Remote Folder, or Bidirectional.
If you want your Android phone files to be saved to Google Drive, select To remote folder.
Step 3: Now, tap the space under Remote Folder to choose the path where your mobile data should go.
Cool Tip: If there is no folder in Google Drive, tap the Plus icon in the upper right corner to create one.
Once this is done, tap the space under Local Folder to select the folders on your phone that you want to sync.
All you have to do is press and hold the folders to select them and click Save when you are done.
Click Save and that's it. Congratulations, the synchronization has begun.
Planning and adjusting synchronization settings
As we mentioned above, FolderSync comes with a ton of features. For example, you can define the type of connection or when synchronization should occur among many other things.
To set the connection type, scroll to the Connection tab, and then toggle the switch to Use Wi-Fi.
In addition, you can also configure the application to automatically activate Wi-Fi. To do this, you will need to enter the SSIDs.
Otherwise, you can also disable synchronization when you are roaming and even schedule synchronization. The default sync interval is 5 minutes and can go up to a month. However, if you are in the mood to experiment, tap Advanced and set a custom day and date.
Interestingly, you can also customize the notifications. The setting I like the most is the option "Show notifications when syncing".
Similar to those above, there are a ton of settings on FolderSync that you can experiment with.
Synchronization status
You can also check the status of synchronization via the Synchronization Status option. Just tap on it, and everything will be displayed.
Pro Tip: The premium version of FolderSync opens a lot of options.
Alternatives: automatic sync for Google Drive
There are two options besides FolderSync that lets you sync your phone's content with Google Drive. However, the options are a bit limited.
The free version allows you to synchronize a folder. Plus, the customization options are also limited and you will not be free to add rules and filters.
However, if you like to keep things simple, you can try this app.
Sync Smart
The best thing about this third party service is that, unlike Google Photos, I can sync high quality photos directly to Google Drive. In addition, it also gives me the independence to choose the type of files and folders, without any limitation.
So, what kind of sync settings will you use with this app? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Then: Confused between what counts and what does not count against your Google Drive storage quota? Read all about it in the post below.