There are many benefits to storing and sharing your photos on a dedicated, photo storage site that’s free. It’s not just about keeping all photos in one place – it’s about being able to organise, edit, share and keep them secure without being charged. With so many free file storage options available, it can be difficult to know which one to use.Here are three of the best cloud storage services to consider.
Google Photos
Google’s new free photo storage website is currently all the rage, and is being called the best of its kind for its features and layout. With Google Photos you’ll have unlimited photo and video storage for all uploads up to 2048 pixels. It does the hard work of organising your photos for you, so all you have to do is search for a key word, such as ‘dog’ and all your related photos will be shortlisted. If you’re running out of space on your smartphone, you can set your phone to delete photos from your device once they’re safely backed up online.
Head to Google Photos to set up an account, or download the app for your Apple or Android device.
Used widely by photography enthusiasts, Flickr has experienced a redesign in the past two years and has become a great option for almost everyone. On Flickr, you’ll receive a mammoth 1TB of free storage – almost more than you’ll ever need – so you can use it to just dump and keep all your precious images. Features also include geo-tagging and people-tagging (as with Google Photos), as well as some basic online photo editing tools so that you can bring out the beauty of your photographs.
The beauty of Flickr is that it’s not just for personal storage; it’s also a social media platform, so you can share your photos with the world (or just some select friends).
Head to Flickr to set up an account, or download the app for your Apple or Android device.
Microsoft OneDrive
Previously called SkyDrive, OneDrive offers a generous 15GB of free storage. Users are given a couple of options to earn more storage space – referring friends to sign up to OneDrive will get you 500MB extra, while linking OneDrive to your mobile’s camera roll will earn you a substantial 3GB.
OneDrive allows you to upload all your important files – not just photos – so it’s a great all-round option for safeguarding everything. It also works seamlessly with Windows computers and devices, and synchronises with Outlook, Hotmail, MSN, Live, Xbox Live and Office Online document editing, so users of these services will find OneDrive convenient.
Head to OneDrive to set up an account, or download the app for your Apple or Android device.
On a side note, whichever platform you choose, it’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t rely on the internet alone to keep your photos and documents safe. A good-quality external hard drive – available at most technology retailers – will offer additional support and peace of mind.
Have you tried any of these platforms? Which photo storage option do you find most useful?
