The Samsung Gallery OneDrive sync is gone, and if you open Gallery this morning, something’s missing. The photos you backed up to OneDrive, years of them for some people, no longer show in the app. Nothing is broken, and nothing has been deleted.

Samsung and Microsoft ended the direct link between Gallery and OneDrive on September 30, 2026, and the change has now taken effect. If you’re a Galaxy owner who relied on it, here’s what changed, how to keep your backups running, and what to know before you switch to Google Photos, which is Samsung’s replacement but isn’t a like-for-like swap.

What Changed With the Samsung Gallery OneDrive Sync

According to Microsoft’s support page, the Samsung Gallery OneDrive sync ended on September 30, 2026: Gallery no longer syncs directly with OneDrive, and new users can’t link the two apps.

In its place, Samsung is rolling out Google Photos sync inside Gallery. 9to5Google reported on September 18 that the new option was starting to reach users, while the OneDrive integration was set to end on the 30th. So the swap isn’t a surprise, but plenty of people won’t have noticed until their cloud tab went quiet.

Are Your OneDrive Photos Deleted?

No. Microsoft says your photos and videos already in OneDrive remain safe and unchanged, and you can still open them in the OneDrive app on any device or at onedrive.com. They just no longer show up inside Samsung Gallery.

The thing to watch is new photos. Microsoft says they’ll only upload if OneDrive has permission to access all your photos and videos and Camera backup is turned on. If you did nothing today, your newest shots may not be backing up anywhere.

How to Keep Backing Up to OneDrive

If you’d rather stay with OneDrive, the fix is in the OneDrive app itself. These are Microsoft’s steps:

1. Open the OneDrive app and sign in with your Microsoft account. It may be different from your Samsung account.
2. Tap your account profile in the top left, then choose Camera backup.
3. Make sure the right account is selected, then turn Camera backup on.
4. Grant access to your photos and videos if prompted, and allow access to all of them so backup runs in the background.

Microsoft also notes you can’t go over your storage quota, so check your space. Forbes points out that people paying for Microsoft 365 storage can no longer use it for Gallery backups, and suggests the OneDrive app is the best route for them. That’s our read too: if you’re already paying Microsoft for terabytes, using the app keeps that money working.

Switching to Google Photos: What You Need First

Google’s help page says the Samsung Gallery sync needs a personal Google Account (Workspace accounts and parent-supervised accounts can’t use it) and Android 13 or newer. It also warns that availability may vary by account type, device model or region.

Per Forbes, you also need two Galaxy Store updates in place: Samsung Gallery 15.9.01.7 and Gallery Cloud Sync 1.6.09.31 or newer. OneDrive users are prompted to unlink OneDrive first, and then the Google Photos option should appear. You’ll find it under Menu > Settings > Sync photos and videos.

Backups use your Google Account storage, so check how much space you have before turning it on. Google says photos are backed up in original quality, and you can choose which albums and device folders to include.

What Google Photos Sync Can’t Do

This is where it stops being a simple swap. Google says photos backed up through Samsung Gallery sync don’t appear in features like Memories and highlights, Live albums, or Search, unless you also back them up through the Google Photos app. Samsung Gallery can only see media that was synced through Gallery Cloud Sync, not other items already in your Google Photos.

Deletions also travel both ways. If you delete a synced photo in Gallery or Google Photos, it’s removed from both, and from cloud storage. Google adds that moving a synced photo into a Private Album on your phone permanently deletes the cloud copy. And unlike OneDrive, Forbes notes Google Photos has no backup folder you can open on a PC, so you’d have to download your media.

Here’s how the three main options compare:

Problems Early Users Are Reporting

Forbes, citing early social media posts, says the switch is not going smoothly for everyone. Some users still aren’t offered the Google Photos option on deadline day, and some on Samsung’s older One UI 8.5 appear blocked because the Galaxy Store lists Gallery Cloud Sync as not compatible.

There’s a catch for people who deleted local copies to free up space. Those photos now exist only in OneDrive, with no simple way to move them to Google Photos or view them in Gallery. Users also report missing photos, wrong dates and stalled uploads. Forbes advises selecting every album you want synced, because it may default to the Camera album only.

One more claim to treat carefully: Forbes cites a SammyGuru report that emptying Gallery’s Trash also clears the Google Photos Trash. That’s a user report, not something Samsung or Google has confirmed, so don’t rely on the 30-day trash window until you’ve tested it.

What We’d Do Today

Our suggestions, not official advice:

Don’t delete anything from your phone yet. Not until you’ve confirmed your backup is actually working. Open your chosen cloud app and check the newest photos are there.

Pick one main backup. If you pay for Microsoft 365 storage, turn on Camera backup in the OneDrive app. If you live in Google’s world already, the Google Photos app is the fuller option, with the Gallery sync as a lighter one.

Keep a second copy of anything irreplaceable. A cloud account plus a download to a computer or drive is a sensible habit, especially while this transition is still bumpy.

If all this has you thinking about your next phone, our piece on why phones cost more in 2026 is worth a look before you upgrade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Samsung delete my photos from OneDrive?

No. Microsoft says photos already in OneDrive remain safe and unchanged. They no longer appear in Samsung Gallery, but you can open them in the OneDrive app or at onedrive.com.

Can I still back up to OneDrive from a Galaxy phone?

Yes. Turn on Camera backup in the OneDrive app and give it access to all your photos and videos. New photos will then upload automatically, as long as you have storage left.

Is the Google Photos sync available on my Galaxy phone?

Maybe. It needs Android 13 or newer, a personal Google Account, and updated Gallery and Gallery Cloud Sync apps. Google says availability can vary by account type, device and region, and Forbes reports some users still weren’t seeing the option on September 30.

Sources

1. Microsoft Support: Changes to Samsung Gallery sync and OneDrive
2. Microsoft Support: Automatically save photos and videos with OneDrive for Android
3. Google Photos Help: Sync your Samsung Gallery with your Google Account
4. Forbes: Samsung Shuts Down Gallery’s OneDrive Sync Today
5. 9to5Google: Samsung Gallery starts rolling out Google Photos sync

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