TL;DR: Google Photos now backs up and displays RAW photos for some Pixel users. Previously clicked RAW images will not be automatically uploaded. Users are cautioned about the large size of RAW files and the potential to quickly fill up Google One storage. While backing up all JPGs is sufficient for most people, power users with camera-centric Android flagships may have additional RAW files to back up. Google Photos has improved the experience by prompting users to back up RAW files and displaying them in the main feed.
Google Photos has introduced a new feature for Pixel users, allowing them to back up and display their RAW photos in the main Photos view. Previously, RAW images were not automatically uploaded. However, after clicking a RAW photo, both the RAW file and accompanying JPEG (as Pixels can’t shoot in RAW-only mode) will be uploaded and displayed in the main Photos feed. The RAW photo will have a “RAW” badge, while the JPEG will be considered part of the photo “burst.”
Users have the option to set the RAW photo as the main image and delete the JPEG separately. Alternatively, they can delete the JPEG and keep the RAW image.
It’s important to note that RAW files are significantly larger than JPEGs. While a JPEG may be around 2-3MB in size, a RAW file can range between 15-20MB or more. If users frequently shoot in RAW format, they may quickly consume their Google One storage, as there is currently no easy way to limit RAW uploads. Previously clicked RAW images will not be automatically uploaded, but all future RAW photos will be. For most users, shooting in JPEG format is recommended.
