Google is adding a new feature to its Photos service that will let you know which pictures are eligible for the “Storage saver” feature. With this, the company wants to avoid any type of confusion regarding the quality with which your photos will be uploaded to the cloud.
Google Photos allows you to back up your photos and videos in two ways. You can upload them at original quality, maintaining the resolution and all the characteristics of the file. Or you can choose to save space, which will reduce the resolution of the photos to 16MP, and run them through a compression algorithm. Fortunately, the compression is respectful of the details of the photo, maintaining very good quality.
There are file formats not eligible for Google Photos Storage saver
Due to the good compression results of the Google Photos “Storage saver” feature, several users choose this method to backup their photos. However, there are certain file types that are not supported. More specifically, the JPEG Multi-Picture Format is not eligible to go through processing by the Google Photos Storage saver.
JPEG Multi-Picture Format (.mpo files, also called “mpf” by Google) are images with additional metadata for photos enriched. For example, photos taken in “portrait mode” include depth data that will allow you to adjust the bokeh level. Ultra HDR photos also use this file type when including a gain map with instructions. As they are not compatible, these photos are always uploaded in original quality. And that’s where the confusion begins.
How to know which pictures are eligible
There are users who expected all their photos to be uploaded in reduced resolution. So, they don’t know the reason why some (or many) are uploaded in original quality. To help avoid those situations, Google Photos is getting a new data item. Basically, there is now a “Not eligible for Storage saver” message for incompatible photos. You can check this for each picture individually. Just go to the Google Photos Android app > choose a photo > swipe up > check the “Details” field.
