Google Photos is a widely used photo management service around the world. Its automatic backup and search features are excellent, making it one of the best tools for personal photo management.
However, sharing event photos with all participants is a different story. Google Photos' sharing features have several limitations, most fundamentally that "not everyone has a Google account." In this article, we'll explore Google Photos' sharing limitations and how to choose the right tool for the job.
Google Photos Shared Album Limitations
Google Photos shared albums come with these constraints.
- Google account required: To add photos to a shared album, every participant needs a Google account. Link sharing allows viewing without an account, but uploading (contributing) photos requires being logged in
- 20,000 photo limit: Each shared album has a maximum of 20,000 items. Large-scale events or long-term projects could hit this ceiling
- Consumes storage quota: Photos added to shared albums count against the uploader's Google One storage. Anyone who's used up the free 15GB may need to pay for more
- Managing shared access is cumbersome: With many participants, inviting people one by one is tedious. You can't invite someone whose email address you don't know
- No auto-delete feature: Shared albums persist until manually deleted. Even temporary event albums keep taking up storage if you forget about them
Where Google Photos Falls Short for Event Sharing
Let's look at specific scenarios where Google Photos' sharing becomes inconvenient.
When Someone Doesn't Have a Google Account
Asking "do you have a Google account?" at an event isn't practical. Some iPhone users don't use Gmail and have no Google account. Others deliberately avoid Google services for privacy reasons.
When You Need Temporary Sharing
For weddings and reunions, photo sharing is temporary. Once everyone has downloaded, the shared album has served its purpose. But Google Photos has no auto-delete feature, requiring manual cleanup.
When Privacy Matters
Google Photos shared albums display the contributor's Google account name (often their real name). At events with unfamiliar attendees, some people may be uncomfortable having their name visible.
When the Interface Is Confusing
Adding photos to a Google Photos shared album can be somewhat complex for people unfamiliar with the app. Elderly attendees in particular may find the steps too numerous and give up.
Advantages of a Dedicated Photo Sharing Service
Services designed specifically for event photo sharing have strengths that Google Photos lacks.
- No account needed: With services like PicTomo, no account registration is required at all. Just scan a QR code or tap a URL to instantly upload and browse photos
- Auto-delete for hassle-free cleanup: Albums have an expiration period and are automatically deleted when it passes. Perfect for temporary sharing — no need to remember to clean up
- Password protection: Access can be restricted not just by URL but also by password, reducing the risk of unauthorized viewing
- Simple UI: Focused exclusively on photo sharing, the interface is extremely simple. Designed for intuitive use even by people unfamiliar with smartphones
- No personal storage consumed: Participants' personal cloud storage isn't affected. Upload freely without worrying about capacity
How to Use Google Photos and PicTomo Together
Google Photos and a dedicated service aren't competitors — they serve different purposes.
Where Google Photos Shines
- Personal photo management and backup: Auto-backup for phone photos is ideal. AI-powered search by keywords like "cat" or "beach" is incredibly useful
- Ongoing family sharing: For families who share photos daily, where everyone already has a Google account, shared albums work effectively
- Long-term photo storage: For storing photos over years, Google Photos is better suited (with paid plans for expanded storage)
Where PicTomo Shines
- Event photo sharing with all participants: Weddings, parties, reunions — when people with various devices and operating systems gather, PicTomo's no-account approach is far more convenient
- Temporary photo sharing: Use it during the event, everyone downloads, then auto-delete. No cleanup hassle
- Sharing with unfamiliar people: No account info (names) is displayed, so privacy is maintained at events where attendees don't all know each other
- When elderly participants are involved: The simple QR-scan-to-access workflow is easy even for those not comfortable with technology
Practical Use Case Examples
Let's consider how to use each in specific scenarios.
- Wedding: Use PicTomo for day-of sharing (no account needed, QR-instant access). Save your favorite received photos to Google Photos for long-term management
- Family vacation: Use PicTomo during the trip (grandparents can participate via QR scan). After the trip, back up your own photos to Google Photos
- Company event: It's not appropriate to ask attendees to use personal Google accounts, so use PicTomo for anonymous sharing. Save selected photos for PR purposes in Google Drive
- Club or team activities: Use PicTomo for sharing game and performance photos (parents can join immediately). Save highlight shots as official team records in Google Photos
Summary
Google Photos is an excellent service for personal photo management. However, for sharing event photos with all participants, the Google account requirement is a significant barrier.
Use a dedicated service like PicTomo for event photo sharing, and Google Photos for long-term storage of received photos. This combination is the most efficient and least burdensome approach for everyone.
What matters most is that "everyone" can participate without friction. Embrace no-account, no-app photo sharing to capture every single memory.