GENERAL
1. What is happening?
Google is blocking all apps from reading your Google Photos library on March 31, 2025.
Apps can continue to work with your Google Photos, but you must first select what photos you want to see in the app and the app can then see those photos.
This change does not impact Google Drive and my gFolio app.
2. When will this change happen?
Google states this change will happen on March 31, 2025. I would not rely on any unofficial app being able to read your entire Google Photos library after that date. They will only be able to read the photos you select to use inside that app.
3. How will this impact me?
Those with large photo libraries and those who auto update their slideshows are most impacted.
If you are using the app to display a small number of photos, the app can automatically import the photos it already displays. As long as the photos fit in your available storage, the app can continue to display them as it has.
If the photos do not fit in your device’s storage, you will need to free storage on the device or import a subset of your photo library.
Understand the app does not import your original photos. It uses the best version for your display. For most 1080p displays, you can import 2000 photos per 1GB. This number may be larger or smaller depending on your photos.
Since Google is removing the ability to read your photo library, the app can no longer detect changes in your photo library to automatically update slideshows. You will need to import any changes you make.
4. What do I do now?
On Amazon and Android devices, follow the in app messages to import your photos. Once past the cutoff date, you will need to select the photos you want to import on Google’s website. It will be easier to import photos while the app still has access to your photo library.
On Apple devices, you will need to connect to Google Photos and import the photos you want to see inside the app. The old connection will no longer work after the cutoff date.
5. What happens after the cutoff date?
You will need to log into Google Photos and grant the app permission to see the photos you select to import. You will then need to select photos inside Google Photos to see in the app. To maintain access to those photos, the app must import them.
After you select and import photos, you can use the app as you did before the cutoff date.
FUNCTION
6. Can the app still display all of my photos and albums?
Yes, if you import all of your photos and albums into the app. Please see other answers on importing photos and their required storage space.
7. Are any features going away?
Yes, this is a major change and the following features are no longer possible:
- Since the app cannot read your Google Photos library, it is not possible to automatically update slideshows with your changes on Google Photos.
- Google Photos no longer provides photo descriptions, so the caption widget will not work for imported photos.
- The upload and auto upload features are no longer supported.
This change adds the following features:
- An internet connection is not required to view imported photos and videos.
- Folders no longer have a maximum size.
- Everyone now has a business equivalent license so they can enjoy all app features.
If you any removed features are critical to you and your photos exists in another service, you can obtain a 33% discount on my app for that service (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Flickr) by entering your Pixfolio support code from inside Pixfolio’s help screen into the other app. My other apps are not impacted by these changes to Google Photos.
8. Will the app auto update if I add or delete a photo in Google Photos?
No, the app can no longer see photos in Google Photos until you import them. It has no knowledge of added or deleted photos inside Google Photos, so it cannot automatically add or delete those photos inside the slideshow.
To update your slideshow, you will need to import new photos or remove existing photos from the app.
9. Are videos still supported?
Yes, videos can still be played. They will require more storage space, since they are no longer streamed.
10. A different app still works. Why is your app changing?
This change by Google will break all unofficial apps. All unofficial apps will stop working on the cutoff date. Google is allowing some apps to read files uploaded by the app, so that special case may apply. That special case does not work for most apps, so most will shut down or have to make these changes. So this other app is likely going to change, or it will no longer work in April.
11. Can I revert to an old version of the app before these changes?
Google is making these changes to Google Photos. A prior version of the app will not avoid the Google changes. All versions of the app will lose the ability to read your Google Photos library after the cutoff date.
SELECTING & IMPORTING
12. How do I import photos and albums into the app?
You can import photos into the app by selecting the import button on the toolbar. Please see the guide on selecting photos for further information.
13. How much storage will imported photos use?
The app does not import your original photos. For most displays, 1GB can store 2000 to 4000 photos. The number depends on the photos and their quality.
Videos may require a lot of space. The app estimates about 16MB per 30 seconds of video. If your videos average 30 seconds, 1GB can store 64 of them.
Unfortunately, Google Photos provides no information on photo or video sizes before they are imported. It is impossible for the app to know exactly how much storage space will be required before the import happens. It can only estimate.
14. Can I remove imported photos from the app?
Yes, select the … button in the toolbar inside folder and select Remove Import from the menu. Removing photos works the same way, unless you’re on a TV. On a TV, press DPAD+UP on your remote and then select Remove Import.
This does not remove the photo or folder from your Google Photos library.
15. What happens to my imported photos if I uninstall the app?
The imported photos will be deleted from your device. The original photos will remain on Google Photos if you want to import them again.
16. Can I add new photos to existing folders?
Yes, go into the folder and select to import from the toolbar. All selected photos will be imported into that folder.
17. Will I need to import photos every time I use the app?
No, once a photo is imported it will remain in the app until you remove that photo or you uninstall or reset the app.
18. Can I import entire albums or do I need to import photos one by one?
You can import entire albums. See the guide on selecting photos.
19. Are there limits on how many photos I can select to import at once?
Google Photos is currently enforcing a limit of 2000 photos at a time. You must import multiple times if you want more than 2000 photos in a folder.
The app does not have a limit, so if Google changes this limit, the app will support the change.
20. Do I need an internet connection to display imported photos?
No, an internet connection is only required to import photos. Once imported, photos and videos can be displayed without an internet connection.
PRIVACY & SECURITY
21. Why does the app need access to my Google account?
The app needs you to log into Google Photos for two reasons.
- In order to import photos, the app needs permission to see the photos you have selected on Google Photos.
- The license is connected to your Google Photos account. Even if you are not using Google Photos inside the app, you still need to log into Google for the app to know you have a license.
22. What does the app do with the photos I select?
The photos are imported into the app’s private storage on the device. They cannot be read by other apps and they will be removed from the device when the app is uninstalled.
23. Will this effect my photos or storage inside Google Photos?
No, the app cannot change or modify your Google Photos library in any way. Importing photos into the app does not change anything about your Google Photos library.
FUTURE
24. Will the app continue to be supported?
Yes, I have supported the app for almost 15 years and I plan to support it until Google makes that impossible. I have many features I want to add to all of my apps and I look forward to moving beyond this change so I have time to work on those features.
25. I’ve stopped using Google Photos. Can I use the app with local photos or other services instead?
You can use the app with local photos on the device. Because the app license is connected to your Google Photos account, you must log into Google Photos to use the app. You are not required to import any Google Photos in order to use the app for local photos.
You can receive a 33% discount on my other apps by going into their app settings and then entering your Pixfolio support code from the Pixfolio help screen. This will apply the discount.