Microsoft OneDrive and Samsung Gallery Part Ways
As Samsung Galaxy owners, you’re likely familiar with the pop-up prompts encouraging you to back up your photos and videos to Microsoft OneDrive. This integration has been a unique aspect of the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, allowing users to take advantage of the benefits of both Google’s Android operating system and Microsoft’s cloud storage service.
Source: engadget.com
OneDrive has been a popular choice for many Samsung Galaxy users due to its seamless integration with the Gallery app. This integration has allowed users to easily sync their photos and videos across their devices, including their Windows 11 PCs. However, this partnership is coming to an end, and Samsung and Microsoft have announced that they will be deprecating the integration between Samsung Gallery and Microsoft OneDrive at the end of September.
Source: engadget.com
According to a statement issued by Microsoft in mid-May, the Samsung Gallery app will no longer be able to sync directly with OneDrive. This means that users will not be able to link the two services after the specified date. However, there is a workaround that allows users to continue syncing their photos and videos to OneDrive, which we’ll cover later in this article.
Source: engadget.com
The deprecation of the integration between Samsung Gallery and Microsoft OneDrive will have several consequences for users. Firstly, photos stored in OneDrive will no longer appear in the Gallery app on mobile phones. Additionally, users will no longer be able to use sync-dependent features or view synced photos on Samsung TVs or smart appliances. However, photos will still be accessible from OneDrive, and users can download them back onto their phone’s local storage.
Before the change takes effect, users can use the Download Originals option in Samsung Gallery to get their photos back into local storage. This will ensure that users have a backup of their photos and videos, even after the integration is deprecated.
The move by Samsung and Microsoft to deprecate the integration between Samsung Gallery and Microsoft OneDrive has been met with some surprise, as it seems to be happening ahead of schedule. According to reports, the Gallery app has already been updated to remove the OneDrive sync settings for users who have never set up OneDrive sync before. This means that the feature will be absent at launch from the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 and Flip8 devices, which are expected to be launched at the Samsung Unpacked event in London later this month.
So, what does this mean for users? The good news is that users will still be able to use Microsoft’s cloud storage service to back up their photos and videos. The only caveat is that they will need to download the OneDrive app from the Play Store and set up automatic photo and video backups through the app’s settings. This will require users to log into their Microsoft account and grant any necessary permissions.
Of course, there are other easy cloud storage solutions for users who are feeling burned by OneDrive. Google Photos remains a popular choice, with plenty of AI features and a robust syncing system. However, users should be aware that they will be subject to Google’s ever-loosening privacy policies and will need to exercise caution to avoid having their media ingested for AI training. Dropbox and Amazon also offer photo sync solutions, and users can consider these alternatives if they want more control over their data.
For users who prefer to host their own image backup, there are open-source alternatives like Immich. This allows users to host their own image backup using their own hardware and storage, such as a NAS or home server. However, this does require users to configure their own network to make everything function properly and securely.
Ultimately, the deprecation of the integration between Samsung Gallery and Microsoft OneDrive is a significant change for users. However, it also presents an opportunity for users to explore other cloud storage solutions and find the one that best suits their needs.
