10 Simple Fixes for Google Photos Not Showing All Photos on Mobile

Google Photos has quickly become the go-to gallery alternative for many users due to its seamless integration and user-friendly interface. However, like any other app, it is not without its flaws. One common problem that users may encounter is when Google Photos does not show all of their photos and videos on their Android or iPhone. If you're facing this issue, don't worry. We've got you covered with some troubleshooting tips that will solve the problem in no time.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

The first thing you should do is check your internet connection. Since Google Photos requires an active internet connection to sync photos and videos from the cloud, a weak or unstable connection could be the reason why some of your photos are not showing up. You can run a quick speed test on your Android or iPhone to check the strength of your internet connection. If there's a problem with your internet, switch to another connection and try again.

2. Enable Backup and Sync

Next, make sure that you've allowed Google Photos to backup and sync data on your phone. This ensures that all your photos and videos are properly synced to the cloud and accessible on all your devices. To check if backup and sync are enabled:

1. Launch the Google Photos app on your phone.
2. Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner and select “Photo settings.”
3. Tap on “Backup” and enable the toggle in the following menu.

After completing these steps, restart the Google Photos app and check if you can find your missing photos.

3. Allow the Necessary Permissions

Google Photos might not show all your photos if it does not have the necessary permissions. Here's how to allow them:

Android

1. Long-press on the Google Photos app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu.
2. On the app info page, tap on “Permissions.”
3. Tap on “Photos and videos” and select “Always allow all.”

iOS

1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to tap on “Google Photos.”
2. Tap on “Photos” and select “All Photos” from the following menu.

4. Enable SD Card Access

If the Google Photos app is not showing photos stored on your SD card, it could be because you haven't enabled SD card access for the app. Here's how to turn it on:

1. Open the Google Photos app, tap on your profile picture in the top right corner, and select “Photos settings.”
2. Tap on “Apps & devices” and select the “SD card access” option in the following menu.
3. Tap the “Get started” button, select your SD card, and hit “Allow.”

5. Check Archive, Trash, and Locked Folders

The Google Photos app has a feature that suggests archiving or deleting unimportant photos. It also has a locked folder feature where you can store your private photos. If you can't find your missing photos in the main view, they might be in one of these folders. Switch to the Library tab in the Google Photos app and go through the Archive and Trash folders to see if you can find your missing photos there. To access the locked folder, head to Library > Utilities > Locked Folder.

6. Allow Unrestricted Battery and Data Usage (Android)

The Google Photos app may fail to sync and show your old photos and videos from other devices if you have applied any battery or data restrictions to it. To fix this issue, follow these steps:

1. Long press on the Google Photos app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu.
2. Go to Battery and select Unrestricted from the following menu.
3. Return to the App info page, tap on Mobile data, and enable the toggles next to Allow background data usage and Allow data usage while Data saver is on.

7. Enable Background App Refresh (iPhone)

If you're using an iPhone and the Google Photos app is not loading all your photos and videos, it might be because the Background App Refresh feature is disabled. To enable it:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Google Photos.
3. Enable the toggle next to Background App Refresh.

8. Clear App Cache (Android)

Clearing the cache can often resolve issues with app functionality. If the Google Photos app is not showing all your photos on Android, try clearing the app cache by following these steps:

1. Long press on the Google Photos app icon and tap the info icon from the resulting menu.
2. Go to Storage and tap the Clear cache option at the bottom.

9. Reinstall the App

If none of the above solutions work, you can try reinstalling the Google Photos app on your Android or iPhone. This can fix any inaccessible or corrupted core app files that might be causing the issue.

10. Use Google Photos on the Web

If all else fails, you can try accessing Google Photos through a web browser on your computer. Open your preferred web browser and navigate to Google Photos. Go through all the folders and see if you can find your missing photos there.

Remember, it's natural to feel anxious when you can't find all your photos and videos on Google Photos. However, by following these simple fixes, you should be able to regain access to your old memories and enjoy the seamless experience that Google Photos offers.