Google Photos partner sharing curbs photo sharing from other apps

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Google Photos has silently modified how its partner-sharing feature works, restricting the types of images shared with a designated partner.

Since its launch in 2017, this feature has allowed you to share any photograph from your library. However, this has changed following a recent update.

Previously, this feature allowed you to assign a partner to access all photos and videos in the user’s library.

However, users have noticed screenshots and images from third-party Android apps, such as Instagram or third-party camera apps, are no longer shared. 

Google Photos partner sharing isn’t as useful as it used to be 

Google has updated its partner-sharing support page to clarify the change, noting that “Photos from other apps on Android aren’t shared with your partner account.”

Interestingly, the restriction seems to rely on metadata rather than the folder location of the images. 

Google Photos users observed this change and reported it on Reddit, which was first reported by Tech-Issues Today.

The update, which appears to have been implemented in late October, was confirmed by a Google employee who stated that the adjustment aligns with “most users’ expectations.” 

For example, screenshots saved in the DCIM/Screenshots directory and automatically backed up to Google Photos are no longer shared, even if stored in the same folder as other shared images.

However, editing such images—such as applying filters or color adjustments—appears to make them visible to the partner again.

This change poses a significant inconvenience for users relying on third-party apps for photography or social media content.

Images captured through these apps are excluded from partner sharing, and there is no option to revert the behavior or toggle the restriction. 

Currently, no simple workaround exists to bypass this limitation, leaving affected users without a solution.

The only option currently available is to manually share images with your partner through apps or the Nearby Share or Quick Share features. 

What do you think about this new change to Google Photos? Has it affected how you use the app? Sound off below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.