Google Photos adds ‘uploaded from’ and ‘shared by’ library info

Abner Li | Mar 20 2020 - 4:40 pm PT

There are a number of ways to get your images and videos into Google’s backup service. The Google Photos web app now provides ‘uploaded from’ and ‘shared by’ information for everything in your library.

The Google Photos Info panel already shows the date/time, file details (megapixel count, resolution, size), camera data, and location. Slotting in just before the map is a new “Uploaded from” section.

Possibilities include Android, iOS, web browser, and Google Drive (which could incorporate the Backup and Sync desktop client). There’s also “Shared by” and whether it has been “Saved to library.” This information appear for all media in Google Photos and goes back to the service’s inception.

Knowing where something was uploaded from can help diagnose any Google Photos sync issues, and provide more context when managing a library. For most people, sharing details will be the most useful addition if they don’t recognize something. It’s more convenient than trying to determine origin by browsing albums in the “Sharing” tab.

The ‘uploaded from’ and “shared by” data is only available on photos.google.com with the Android and iOS apps currently lacking that field. On the web, you open an item and tap the info icon in the top-right corner to access.