Google has quietly revealed a pretty nifty feature that could make backing up photos and videos from your Android phone to a Windows laptop much easier.
While there are plenty of great ways to back up photos and videos from your Android phone, including Google Photos and other cloud storage services, I still think one of the best options is the good old laptop or PC you already own.
The problem, however, is that you usually have to connect your phone to your computer using a cable and manually transfer everything. Wireless alternatives exist, but they aren't always as convenient or fast. Thankfully, Google seems to be working on a solution using Quick Share.
Google already offers Quick Share on Windows, allowing you to wirelessly transfer files between Android phones and PCs. But now, the company is working on taking that integration a step further by allowing photos and videos to be automatically backed up from your Android phone to your Windows computer.
Your Windows PC could soon back up Android photos automatically
In the changelog for Google Play Services version 26.43, Google mentions a new feature that will enable automatic photo and video backups from Android to Windows using Quick Share.
The company hasn't revealed any further details about how the feature will work just yet. But considering Google has officially mentioned it in the changelog, we should hopefully learn more about its implementation soon.
The process should involve using the Quick Share app on Windows, keeping your Android phone nearby, and having both devices connected through the same Google account. Once set up, Quick Share could automatically transfer your photos and videos to your PC without requiring a cable or cloud storage subscription.
And since the feature is being introduced through Google Play Services, there's a good chance it won't remain exclusive to Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phones. It could eventually become available across a much wider range of Android devices.
Of course, you'll likely need to keep Google Play Services and the Quick Share app on Windows updated to use the feature once it becomes available. In addition to the new Quick Share functionality, Google has also revealed several other changes coming with its November 2026 Google Play Services update.
One of those is Android Family Hub, a new dedicated section within Android settings that will bring together family management tools in one place. Google is also making improvements to Google Password Manager, allowing users to manually choose which credentials to keep when importing passwords and passkeys that conflict with existing entries.
There are also updates to system management services, which Google says should help improve battery life, connectivity, and overall device performance.