Google Photos Not Backing Up on Android? How to Turn Backup Back On and Force It

Your photos and videos aren’t showing up in Google Photos on another device, or the app sits on “Waiting for connection,” “Backing up…,” or shows backup is simply off.

Why: Backup pauses when it’s turned off, when the app is signed into a different Google account than you’re checking, when there’s no Wi-Fi (and mobile-data backup is disabled), or when your Google storage is full. Knowing which of those it is fixes it in seconds.

The menus below use the current Google Photos app wording, which is the same on Samsung and Pixel.

Fix 1: Check the backup status and turn backup on

Photos tells you exactly what’s happening at the top of the app.

1. Open Google Photos.
2. Tap your profile picture (top right). The status line shows one of:
   • Backup complete — nothing is waiting.
   • Backup is off — tap Turn on backup.
   • Backing up… — it’s working; leave it.
   • Waiting for connection / Waiting for Wi-Fi — it’s a network setting (see Fix 3).
3. If it’s off, tap Turn on backup and follow the prompts.

Fix 2: Confirm you’re checking the right Google account

This is the most common false alarm — photos are backing up, just to a different account than the one you’re looking at.

1. In Google Photos, tap your profile picture.
2. Note the account email shown.
3. Go to Photos settings > Backup and confirm the Backup account matches the account whose photos you expect to see.
4. If it’s the wrong account, switch accounts from the profile picture menu, or change the backup account in settings.

Fix 3: Fix “Waiting for connection / Waiting for Wi-Fi”

By default Photos only backs up on Wi-Fi.

1. Connect to a Wi-Fi network, or
2. Allow mobile-data backup: profile picture > Photos settings > Backup > Mobile data usage, then turn on backup over mobile data (carrier charges may apply).
3. If you’re abroad, also turn on Back up while roaming.
4. Plug the phone in — on some devices backup pauses when the screen is off, so charging while connected to Wi-Fi lets a big backlog finish.

Fix 4: Make sure folders are included and storage isn’t full

Photos only backs up the folders you tell it to, and it can’t back up if your Google storage is full.

1. Include device folders: profile picture > Photos settings > Backup > Back up device folders, then toggle on the folders (WhatsApp, Downloads, screenshots, etc.). Turn on Back up all device folders to catch new ones automatically.
2. Check your Google storage: if you’re out of space across Drive/Gmail/Photos, backup stops. Free up space or get more storage.
3. File limits: Photos can’t back up images over 200 MB / 200 megapixels or videos over 10 GB — those are skipped.

FAQ

My backup says complete but a photo is missing. Confirm the photo’s folder is enabled under Back up device folders. Photos outside your camera roll (downloads, app folders) aren’t backed up unless you add the folder.

Backup is stuck at “Backing up…” and not moving. Keep the phone on Wi-Fi and plugged in; large videos take time. If it’s truly stuck, force-close and reopen Photos, or restart the phone, then leave it charging on Wi-Fi.

Does turning on backup use my storage? Yes — backed-up photos and videos count against your free 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Drive) unless you have a Google One plan.

Why did backup turn itself off? It usually didn’t — check Fix 2 (wrong account) and Fix 3 (waiting for Wi-Fi). A signed-out account or a changed setting are the usual causes.

Sources: Google Photos Help — My photos aren’t backing up (Android)