Google Photos is not supported for University of Maine System (UMS) accounts, and it can quietly fill your storage quota. Here is why to avoid it and what to do if you are already using it.
Detailed Information
INFO: Issues related to Google Photos are not supported by the UMS IT Service Desk.
Why to avoid Google Photos
Google Photos is technically available with a UMS Google Workspace account, but it is not recommended and not supported.
Every photo and video you store there counts against your individual Google Drive quota, which is a limited institutional resource. When personal photos fill it, your university email and academic files stop working normally until you free up space.
IMPORTANT: Google Photos is not covered by the same agreements as Gmail and Google Drive. Do not use it for university content, including anything covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Check whether your phone is backing up to your UMS account
Google Photos backup may have switched on by itself when you signed in with your UMS account, especially during Android setup. When that happens, every photo you take uploads to your UMS account in the background and fills your quota with no warning. Check this even if you never opened Google Photos on purpose.
Open the Google Photos app and confirm that Backup is off for your UMS account. Turning it off does not delete the photos already in your phone's gallery. Those stay on the device.
If you already have photos in your UMS account
Export them before you delete anything. Once the account closes, its contents are gone.
Google's direct photo transfer tool does not work with work or school accounts, so Google Takeout is the supported method. See Exporting Your Data with Google Takeout.
Where to keep photos instead
- Personal photos: a personal Google account, iCloud or storage hardware you own.
- University work files: UMS Google Drive or UMS OneDrive.
If you have questions about your storage quota, contact the UMS IT Service Desk.
Additional resources
Environment
- Google Workspace (UMS)
- Google Photos