Photos

Google Photos, the gallery and cloud backup app that serves as the only gallery on Pixels. You can disable it, with a caveat: read what stops working first.

What it does

Google Photos shows the photos and videos on the phone, edits them and can back them up to your Google Account. On Pixels it is the only gallery app, so the camera's preview thumbnail opens it, while most other makers ship their own gallery alongside it. When backup is on it uploads new photos in the background.

Also shown as Google Photos.

If you disable it

Photo backup stops and, on Pixels, the camera's preview thumbnail and photo viewing open nothing until you install another gallery app.

How to disable it

Settings offers Disable for this package on most phones. Open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Photos > Disable.

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.photos

adb shell pm enable com.google.android.apps.photos

The stronger option removes it for your user only; the original copy stays on the phone and a factory reset brings it back. Prefer disabling: it is easier to undo.

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.apps.photos

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.google.android.apps.photos

New to ADB? Set it up in about ten minutes.

Data and battery

Reads your photos and videos and, when backup is on, uploads them to your Google Account, where features such as face grouping run if you enable them.

Backup uploads use battery and data; limit backup to Wi-Fi or pause it in the app instead of disabling it.

Where it appears

• Made by Google LLC.
• Listed on Google Play: Photos on Google Play.