Since Google Photos handles backups, makes old pictures easy to find, surfaces memories at the right time, and offers plenty of editing tools, it's been my default gallery app on Android.

Because of that, I never thought about replacing it. Most alternatives I tried felt too basic.

That changed when I came across OneDrive, which has become more focused on photos and videos. I didn't expect to enjoy its new direction this much.

Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

OneDrive on Android
Trivia challenge

Think you know Microsoft's cloud storage app on Android? Put your OneDrive knowledge to the test.

StorageSyncFeaturesMicrosoftSettings
01 / 8
Microsoft

Which company developed OneDrive?

Correct! OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud storage service, launched originally as SkyDrive in 2007 before being rebranded in 2014. It's tightly integrated with Microsoft 365 and Windows.
Not quite. OneDrive is developed by Microsoft, not a competitor. It was originally called SkyDrive when it launched in 2007, and the name changed to OneDrive in 2014 due to a trademark dispute.
02 / 8
Storage

How much free storage does OneDrive offer to users with a free Microsoft account?

Correct! Microsoft offers 5 GB of free storage to all OneDrive users. This is less than Google Drive's 15 GB free tier, but paid Microsoft 365 subscriptions significantly expand that limit.
Not quite. OneDrive provides 5 GB of free storage on a basic Microsoft account. While competitors like Google Drive offer 15 GB for free, OneDrive makes up for it with generous storage bundled into Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
03 / 8
Features

What OneDrive feature automatically uploads photos and videos from your Android device to the cloud?

Correct! The Camera upload feature in OneDrive for Android automatically backs up photos and videos to your cloud storage. You can configure it to upload over Wi-Fi only to save mobile data.
Not quite. The correct feature is called Camera upload. It continuously backs up your Android camera roll to OneDrive, and you can control whether it runs on Wi-Fi only or also on mobile data in the app settings.
04 / 8
Features

Which OneDrive feature allows you to access files on your Android device even without an internet connection?

Correct! OneDrive's offline files feature lets you mark specific files or folders to be downloaded and available on your device even without a network connection. It's especially handy for frequent travellers.
Not quite. The feature is called offline files. By marking files for offline access in OneDrive for Android, they're downloaded locally so you can view and edit them even when you have no internet connection.
05 / 8
Settings

In the OneDrive Android app, what setting can you enable to prevent camera uploads from using your mobile data?

Correct! The 'Upload over Wi-Fi only' toggle in Camera upload settings ensures OneDrive only backs up your photos and videos when connected to a Wi-Fi network, protecting your mobile data allowance.
Not quite. The correct setting is 'Upload over Wi-Fi only,' found in the Camera upload section of the OneDrive app settings. Enabling this ensures photos and videos are only synced when you're on a Wi-Fi connection.
06 / 8
Sync

Which Microsoft 365 subscription tier offers 1 TB of OneDrive storage per user?

Correct! Microsoft 365 Personal includes 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage along with access to Office apps for one user. The Family plan extends that 1 TB to up to six people.
Not quite. Microsoft 365 Personal is the subscription that includes 1 TB of OneDrive storage for a single user. Microsoft 365 Basic offers 100 GB, while the Personal and Family tiers are where you unlock the full terabyte.
07 / 8
Features

What is the name of OneDrive's feature that uses AI to automatically organise and tag your photos by people, places, and things?

Correct! OneDrive's Photos view leverages AI to automatically sort and surface your images by people, places, and albums. It makes browsing large photo libraries much easier directly in the app.
Not quite. The feature is called Photos view in OneDrive. It uses Microsoft's AI to organise your image library by recognising faces, locations, and subjects, making it simple to find specific photos without manual sorting.
08 / 8
Security

What is OneDrive's Personal Vault, available on Android?

Correct! Personal Vault is a protected area within OneDrive that requires a second layer of identity verification — such as a fingerprint, face scan, PIN, or email code — before you can access it, adding extra security to sensitive files.
Not quite. Personal Vault is a specially secured folder within OneDrive that demands additional identity verification beyond your standard Microsoft account login. Methods like fingerprint, face recognition, or a one-time email code are used to unlock it on Android.
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OneDrive doesn't feel like OneDrive anymore

OneDrive Photos tab
OneDrive albums on Android

I have used OneDrive on Android before, and it always felt the same: boring, with the Files tab at the front and center.

It was filled with folders, Office documents, PDFs, and random uploads. It worked fine as cloud storage, but I never enjoyed browsing the app.

The new experience changes that. OneDrive now opens into the Photos tab, so my pictures and videos are the first things I see instead of a wall of folders and filenames.

The redesigned Gallery is what sold me. I can scroll through my media library in a chronological timeline, and it feels familiar coming from Google Photos.

I no longer need to dig through Camera uploads or remember where a specific image is stored.

I can browse by date and jump through old memories. It even lets me lock the app with biometrics.

Like Locked Folder on Google Photos, OneDrive offers Personal Vault to keep my private memories safe.

People finally makes my library searchable

Moments gives me the Google Photos feeling

OneDrive People tab on Android
OneDrive Moments tab

The People section is one of those features that immediately makes OneDrive feel more like a proper photo app.

Instead of scrolling endlessly through thousands of pictures, I can jump straight to photos of a particular person.

After OneDrive groups similar faces together, finding family photos, vacation shots, or pictures from a specific event becomes easier.

This is the kind of convenience I have come to expect from Google Photos.

I also like how Moments brings older photos back into view. I have years of pictures sitting in cloud storage that I rarely think about, so having the app surface them makes the experience feel personal.

It reminds me of one of my favorite parts of Google Photos, where old trips, birthdays, and random everyday memories suddenly reappear.

It turns OneDrive from a place where I store photos into an app I want to browse.

Search has been another pleasant surprise. Instead of relying only on filenames, I can search my library based on what I remember about a photo.

It's not as robust as Google Photos, but for my needs, OneDrive search works just fine.

Microsoft is taking photo editing seriously

Good enough for me

editing tools on OneDrive
edit a photo using OneDrive

Another reason I am excited about OneDrive's new direction is that Microsoft is finally treating photo editing as more than an afterthought.

I can make quick changes without exporting an image to another app, which makes the overall experience feel more complete.

For basic edits, that convenience matters because I usually want to tweak a photo and move on.

Microsoft should also think about integrating more AI editing features into the app.

It has a strong ecosystem across Copilot and Designer. I would love to see more of that make its way into OneDrive.

Features such as object removal, smarter background edits, automatic enhancements, generative edits, and more advanced retouching could make a difference.

Microsoft adding AI editing tools can close one of the biggest remaining gaps with Google Photos.

It fits well into Windows

Better value for money, too

OneDrive integration with Photos app on Windows

One of OneDrive's biggest advantages for me is how naturally it fits into Windows.

Since it is integrated directly into the Photos app, my pictures are already available on the desktop without any extra setup or constant downloading.

I can browse photos from my phone, open older memories, and manage my library from a larger screen without thinking about where those files are stored.

That kind of continuity makes OneDrive convenient for my workflow, especially since I spend most of my day on a Windows PC.

The value proposition is just as compelling. Microsoft 365 costs around $10 per month, and that gives me 1TB of OneDrive storage along with access to desktop Office apps.

It's a sweet spot for me, since Google's 200GB plan always felt insufficient, and the expensive plans were overkill.

I am not purely paying for photo storage, which makes OneDrive feel like a much better overall deal.

The photo app I didn't expect

Overall, I am impressed by how far Microsoft has taken the photo experience.

The new Gallery, People, Moments, powerful search, Windows integration, and the value of Microsoft 365 make OneDrive a more convincing alternative than I expected.

If you use OneDrive or pay for Microsoft 365, I strongly recommend trying the redesigned experience.