Google is introducing a new way to access pictures and videos stored on Google Photos from inside other apps, making the process easier and more secure.
A recent Android Developers Blog post explains that Google is adding Google Photos support to Android’s built-in photo picker. The Android photo picker offers a simple and secure way to give third-party apps access to your photos and videos stored locally and now in the cloud. Apps accessing your pictures via the picker can only see the specific images you select, not your entire photo library, preventing poorly or maliciously coded apps from snooping through your files.
Until now, the photo picker has only been able to access content stored locally on your device, but with this new update, it will also be able to access images backed up to Google Photos.
After the update, the photo picker will combine your local and cloud-based pictures into a single interface, along with any albums you may have created on Google Photos. If you’ve marked any cloud-based images as favorites, they will appear in a dedicated collection at the top of the photo picker.
But there’s a catch
But what’s the catch? Use of the Android photo picker is currently optional, and unfortunately, far too few apps use it. Depending on the apps you use, you may never even have seen it. This means you’re unlikely to benefit from this upgrade until it gains much wider support.
One way to launch the picker is to use Google’s default Messages app. When attaching a photo, a “Folders” button will also appear. Tapping this button will launch the photo picker. If your photo picker has received the update, you will see a message stating, “Cloud photos now available.”
Trying the same thing with an app that doesn’t support the photo picker, such as Instagram, only shows you photos and videos stored on your local device. You don’t get to see your Google Photos library, and you can’t see which images are your favorites.
To post on Instagram directly from Google Photos, you have to switch to the Google Photos app and either share it to Instagram from there or download it to your local device first and then go back to the Instagram app to upload it. Use of the photo picker would eliminate all of this back-and-forth between apps.
Not just for Google Photos
Google Photos is currently the only cloud media platform supported in the photo picker, but Google hopes to see uptake from other apps and services. Google is running a pilot program OEMs can use to nominate up to three apps for inclusion in the photo picker.
Unfortunately, users won’t be able to mix and match between different cloud media providers as, currently, only one cloud provider can be active at a time. This means you’ll be able to select Google Photos or another provider in the photo picker, but not both at the same time.
The new photo picker upgrade is rolling out with the February Google System Update, which requires Android version 12 or higher.
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