Google is reportedly bringing back an important Google Photos sharing feature after suddenly removing it without warning last year. This removal has left some users frustrated at the inability to easily share certain photos and videos using Partner Sharing, especially images taken with external cameras or created in other apps.
However, according to a new report, the latest version of the Google Photos Android app contains new code that will restore the ability to use Partner Sharing to share photos and videos stored in third-party apps.
According to discoveries made by the well-known app teardown specialist Assemble Debug, a new option, currently under test, adds a toggle switch in the app settings labeled “Include content from other Android apps.”
Users will presumably be able to turn on this feature to restore Partner Sharing to the functionality it originally had before Google removed this capability last year.
What is Partner Sharing in Google Photos?
Partner Sharing is a powerful Google Photos feature that makes it easier to share photos and videos with one invited person, typically your partner, by sending the pictures automatically without manual intervention.
You can choose to share all photos or just photos of specific people. You can also, and probably should, restrict the automatic sharing by date—they may not want to receive all your old photos of your ex, for example.
How Did Google Photos Change Partner Sharing?
Toward the end of 2024, Google made an important change to Partner Sharing that prevents it from automatically sharing images from “other apps.” Google hasn’t clearly specified which photos are affected by the change, but users have noticed that screenshots are no longer automatically shared with Partner Sharing. Another noticed a similar issue with photos captured with their DJI fly app.
Google previously turned this feature off to “better align with most users’ expectations. ” However, some users suddenly found themselves unable to share content such as screenshots or video captured in third-party camera apps with Partner Sharing. The new toggle, which will remain turned off by default, should allow users to resume sharing these types of content with their partners. At the same time, the app continues to align with the expectations of the majority of users, who might not want screenshots and other such files shared automatically.
As is always the case with these discoveries, we don’t know when or even if Google will enable the feature or whether users will be alerted when it becomes available. If you’re currently inconvenienced by not being able to share images from third-party apps via Partner Sharing, I advise you to check your Partner Sharing settings periodically to see whether you have the new toggle switch.
The change is detailed in an official Google Support forum announcement. Here, Google suggests manually sharing the photos as a workaround (which defeats the whole purpose of Partner Sharing). However, others have noted that moving photos or videos to the locked folder and back out again makes them become eligible for Partner Sharing in Google Photos even if they are stored in a third-party app.
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