How to Stop Screenshots from Backing Up to Google Photos
Screenshots are useful for a day and clutter forever. If the official Google Photos app is backing them up, every receipt, meme, and error message you capture ends up in your library, crowding out the photos you actually want. Fortunately you can stop screenshots from backing up to Google Photos by using a backup app that simply ignores the screenshots folder.
Here is how to do it on Android, step by step.
Why screenshots get backed up
On most Android phones, screenshots are saved to a folder called
Pictures/Screenshots (or inside DCIM/Screenshots). The default Google
Photos backup does not filter by folder, so it grabs them along with everything else. That is why
your Google Photos is suddenly full of screenshots.
The fix is to back up only the camera folder, which is what SyncPhoto does by default.
How to stop screenshots from backing up
- Install SyncPhoto from the Google Play Store and open it.
- Sign in with Google with the account you use for Google Photos.
- Check the grid. SyncPhoto lists only camera photos. Screenshot folders are never included, so no screenshots appear here.
- Tap Sync. Only the photos in the grid, your camera photos, are uploaded to Google Photos. The free plan covers up to 10 photos a day (50 a month); SyncPhoto Plus ($1.99/month) removes the limits.
Note: SyncPhoto also excludes videos by default. See how to backup photos without videos and how to backup only camera photos for more control.
Use exclude filters for extra control
Sometimes screenshots live in an unusual folder, or you want to keep other images out too. SyncPhoto lets you add exclude filters in Settings:
*Screenshot*excludes any file whose name contains "Screenshot".*/Screenshots/*excludes anything inside a folder named "Screenshots".*.pngexcludes PNG files if you prefer to keep only JPEG camera photos.
Filters support * and ? wildcards and match against both file names and
paths, so you can fine-tune exactly what stays out.
FAQ
How do I stop screenshots from backing up to Google Photos?
Use a backup tool that ignores the screenshot folder. SyncPhoto backs up only camera photos and never includes screenshots by default.
Why are my screenshots backing up to Google Photos?
The official Google Photos app backs up every image on your device, including screenshots. A camera-only backup app avoids this completely.
Can I exclude specific folders from backup?
Yes. SyncPhoto backs up the camera folder by default and lets you choose additional folders or add wildcard exclude filters in Settings.
Will my existing screenshots be removed from Google Photos?
No. SyncPhoto only controls future uploads. Existing screenshots already in your Google Photos library would need to be deleted manually from Google Photos.