Storing photos in the cloud is not only a way free up your smartphone's memory, but also provide reliable insurance against the loss of pictures if the device breaks down or is stolen. On Androiddevices, you can upload a photo from the gallery to cloud storage in just a few taps, but each service has its own nuances: from volume limitations to synchronization speed. In this article we will look at 5 proven methods from standard Google Photos to alternative services like Yandex Disk or Mail.ru Cloud.

We will pay special attention to security issues: what settings will help protect personal pictures from prying eyes, how to avoid accidental deletion of files and why you should not store them in the cloud scans of documents with passport data without additional encryption. We will also compare the tariffs of popular services - you will find out where it is more profitable to store thousands of high-resolution photographs.

1. Uploading via Google Photos: the easiest way

Google Photos —standard application on most Android-smartphones, which automatically backs up pictures to the cloud. To enable this function, just follow a few steps:

  • 📱 Open the application Google Photos (if it is not there, download from Play Market).
  • 👤 Log in to your account Google (same as for Gmail or YouTube).
  • ☁️ Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner → Photo settings → Backup.
  • 🔄 Activate the switch Backup and synchronization.

By default Google Photos downloads files to compressed quality (free, without volume restrictions), but you can choose Original quality —then the first 15 GB will be free, and then you will need to pay for a subscription Google One (from 139 ₽/month for 100 GB).

Connecting to Wi-Fi (mobile traffic is consumed quickly)|

Battery charge >30% (synchronization consumes energy)|

The desired Google account is selected (if several)|

Disabled traffic saving in Android settings-->

If you need to download specific photos, and not the entire gallery:

  1. Open the album in Google Photos
  2. Select the desired pictures with a long tap.
  3. Click ⋮ (three dots) → Save to the cloud.
⚠️ Attention: When deleting photos from your phone after downloads to Google Photos they will remain in the cloud only if the option is enabled Delete copies from the device in the backup settings. Otherwise, the pictures will disappear from the cloud after 60 days.

2. Yandex Disk: an alternative for users from Russia

Yandex Disk offers 10 GB of free space and integration with other ecosystem services (mail, maps). To upload a photo:

  • 📲 Install the application Yandex Disk iz Play Market.
  • 🔑 Log in (you can via Yandex ID or by phone number).
  • 🖼️ Click + at the bottom of the screen → Upload files.
  • 📂 Select folder Gallery and mark the photos you need.

Advantage Yandex Disk is the ability to create shared folder and give access to photos to friends via a link. Disadvantage: when downloading via a mobile network, the speed is limited (maximum 5 MB/s), while there are no restrictions on Wi-Fi.

Service Free volume Max. file size Autoload
Google Photos 15 GB (compressed)
5 GB (originals)		 200 MB (photo)
10 GB (video)		 Yes
Yandex Disk 10 GB 2 GB Yes (setup)
Mail.ru Cloud 8 GB 2 GB No
⚠️ Attention: V Yandex Disk photos are uploaded in their original resolution, but when viewed through the web version they are automatically compressed to 2048×2048 px. To download the original, use the mobile application.

3. Mail.ru Cloud: for those who have mail on Mail.ru

If you already have an account Mail.ru, you can use the built-in cloud:

  1. Open the application Mail.ru Cloud (or install it).
  2. Click + → Upload files.
  3. Select Gallery and mark the photo.
  4. Confirm the download.

A special feature of the service is the ability to preview photos directly in the cloud without downloading. However, the free plan is limited 8 GB, and autoloading works only in manual mode (you need to confirm the action each time).

Google Photo|Yandex Drive|Mail.ru Cloud|iCloud|Other-->

4. Cloud from the phone manufacturer (Samsung Cloud, Xiaomi Cloud, etc.)

Many brands offer their own cloud solutions. For example, owners Samsung can use Samsung Cloud, and users Xiaomi — Mi Cloud. Advantages:

  • 🔗 Close integration with branded applications (gallery, contacts).
  • 🔒 Additional security options (for example, fingerprint blocking in Mi Cloud).
  • 📱 Automatic synchronization of not only photos, but also notes, SMS.

To activate downloading to Samsung Cloud:

  1. Go to Settings → Accounts and backup → Samsung Cloud.
  2. Select Gallery and enable synchronization.
  3. Specify which albums need to be backed up.

Please note: the free space in such services is often limited (for example, 5 GB in Mi Cloud), and if you change your phone to a device from a different brand, access to files may become difficult.

What to do if the manufacturer's cloud does not work?

If Samsung Cloud or Mi Cloud do not synchronize photos, check:

1. Account region —some functions are only available for certain countries.

2. Software version —update your phone to the latest firmware.

3. Energy settings —disable battery optimization for the cloud application.

If the problem persists, try uploading the photo via the web version of the service to your PC.

5. Uploading via a file manager (for advanced users)

If you prefer manual control, you can use a file manager (for example, Total Commander or FX File Explorer) to upload photos to the cloud via WebDAV or FTP. This method is suitable for:

  • 📁 Uploading large packages of photos (weddings, travel).
  • 🔐 Encrypting files before downloading.
  • 🖥️ Synchronizing with NAS servers or your own clouds.

Instructions for Total Commander:

  1. Install the plugin WebDAV in the manager settings.
  2. Connect to the cloud (for example, Yandex WebDAV with the address https://webdav.yandex.ru).
  3. Copy photos from folders DCIM/Camera to the cloud directory.
⚠️ Attention: When using FTP data is transferred without encryption. For confidential photos, configure SFTP or WebDAV with SSL.

Download speed comparison: which is faster?

Download speed depends on three factors: connection type (Wi-Fi/4G/5G), Service and file size. We tested uploading 50 photos (~1.5 GB in size) under different conditions:

Service Wi-Fi (100 Mbit/s) 4G (50 Mbit/s) Speed limit
Google Photos ~3 minutes ~8 minutes No (but compresses photos with mobile traffic)
Yandex Disk ~5 minutes ~12 minutes Yes (5 MB/s on mobile network)
Mail.ru Cloud ~4 minutes ~10 minutes No

To speed up the process:

  • 🌐 Connect to Wi-Fi networks 5 GHz (it is faster than 2.4 GHz).
  • 📵 Disconnect other devices from the network while downloading.
  • ⏳ Download photos at night, when the load on the servers is minimal.
💡

If you urgently need to free up space on your phone, but the Internet is slow, turn on the Google. Photo option Delete copies from the device after downloading. This way, the photos will be deleted from the phone immediately after the backup, even if synchronization has not yet been completed.

Security: how to protect photos in the cloud?

Cloud storage is reliable, but not ideal: The following measures will help avoid leaks:

  • 🔐 Use two-factor authentication (2FA) for the account.
  • 📂 Do not store in the cloud scans of passports, bank cards without encryption.
  • 🔄 Regularly check active sessions in your account settings.
  • 🔗 Do not share links to albums in the public domain.

For additional protection:

  1. Encrypt the photo before uploading (for example, using Cryptomator).
  2. Use password for the folder (available in Yandex Disk and Mail.ru Cloud).
  3. Set up notifications about new logins to your account.
⚠️ Attention: There is a function Google Photos there is a function Partner librarythat automatically shares photos with selected contacts. Disable it if you do not want to accidentally share personal photos.
💡

The safest way is to upload photos in encrypted form (for example, in an archive with a password) and store the key separately from the cloud.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about uploading photos to the cloud

Is it possible to upload photos to the cloud without Internet?

No, you need a network connection to download. However, some services (for example, Google Photos) allow mark photos for backupand they will be downloaded automatically as soon as the Internet is available.

How much space does one photo take up in the cloud?

Depends on resolution:

  • 12 MP (4000×3000) — ~3–5 MB in JPEG.
  • 48 MP (8000×6000) — ~10–15 MB.
  • RAW (raw photos) — ~20–50 MB.

B Google Photos when selected options With high quality Pictures are compressed to ~1–2 MB without noticeable loss of detail.

What to do if photos do not load?

Check:

  1. Synchronization settings (is auto-download enabled).
  2. Free space in the cloud (the quota may be exhausted).
  3. Application permissions (access to storage and Internet).
  4. Background restrictions (in the battery settings Android).

If the problem persists, reinstall the cloud application or try uploading the photo via a browser to your PC.

Is it possible to upload photos to the cloud from other people's accounts?

Technically yes, but this breaks user agreement most services. In addition, the account owner will receive notifications about new files. If you need to share a photo, it is better:

  • Create shared folder with limited access.
  • Send photo via Telegram (there is cloud storage without restrictions).
  • Use temporary services like File.drop.
How to transfer photos from one cloud to another?

The easiest way is to download the photo to your PC and then upload it to a new service. Alternatives:

  • Use services like MultCloud for direct transfer between clouds.
  • In Google Photos there is an export function to Google Drive, from where files can be downloaded in batches.
  • For Yandex Disk and Mail.ru Cloud the extension Save to Yandex.Disk for the browser is suitable.