How to back up iPhone photos to an original Google Pixel

Updated 2026-10-28 · 7-minute read

Why people keep an original Pixel plugged in at home

Google ended free unlimited “High quality” backups on June 1, 2021 — since then, new uploads count toward the 15 GB that every Google account shares with Gmail and Drive. The last subscription that bundled unlimited photos (T-Mobile’s Google One plan) stopped taking new sign-ups in September 2025 and wound down in 2026.

The original Pixel is the exception Google still lists: “You get unlimited storage in Original quality at no charge.” Later models are different — Pixel 2 and 3 got it only until a cut-off date, and Pixel 3a–5 back up for free only in Storage saver quality.

So the idea is simple: keep the 2016 Pixel at home, get your main phone’s photos onto it, and let it back them up. The hard part has always been the middle step — especially from an iPhone. On r/GooglePixel, people asking how to add a partner’s iPhone are usually told to copy over a cable or to use sync apps that only work while open in the foreground. That’s the part PixLaundry automates.

What you need

• An original Pixel or Pixel XL (2016) signed in to Google Photos, with backup on in Original quality.
• An iPhone on iOS 16 or later (an Android 10+ phone works the same way).
• Both on the same Wi-Fi, and a charger for the Pixel.
• PixLaundry on both. The free plan sends 50 items a day, up to 100 MB each — enough to try it. For a big first transfer or long videos, Pro ($9.99 once) removes the limits.

Buying a used original Pixel

• Make sure it’s the 2016 model. Settings → About phone should say Pixel or Pixel XL — not Pixel 2 or later — and its last update is Android 10. Only the original is listed for unlimited Original quality.
• Check the battery. A lifted screen edge or a bulging back means a swollen battery; skip that one. Plan to limit charging with a smart plug.
• Storage is 32 or 128 GB. 32 GB works, but you’ll use Free up space more often.
• Uploads must come from the Pixel’s own Google Photos app. Photos added through photos.google.com, a computer or Drive count toward your storage like anywhere else.
• Sign in with the account that should keep the photos, and set backup quality to Original.

Step by step

1. Prepare the PixelOpen Google Photos, turn on Backup, and confirm the quality is Original. Keep the Pixel plugged in on your home Wi-Fi. An old Pixel can spend a while “preparing backup” the first time — that’s Google Photos, not the transfer.
2. Turn on the receiverInstall PixLaundry on the Pixel, open Receive and switch receiving on. Allow notifications, and when asked, let it run without battery optimization so it keeps listening with the screen off (it also restarts itself after a reboot). The screen shows a 6-digit PIN and the Pixel’s address.
3. Set up the iPhoneInstall PixLaundry, then allow Full Access to Photos (with limited access it can’t see your whole library) and Local Network access.
4. Pair onceThe Pixel shows up under receivers on the same Wi-Fi. Tap it and enter the PIN. If your router hides devices from each other, choose Connect by IP and type the address shown on the Pixel.
5. Choose where to start, then SendPick today, last week, last month, this year, a specific date, a specific photo — or everything. With a huge library, start recent and widen it later. You’ll see each photo go by, the time left to the second, and photo/video counts. Files are saved to the Pixel’s DCIM/Camera with their original capture dates.
6. Let Google Photos back up“Sent” means saved on the Pixel — the cloud backup is Google Photos’ job and happens next. When the Pixel fills up, use Free up space in Google Photos, which only removes items that are already backed up. PixLaundry notices those files leave and counts them as “likely backed up.” By default it never deletes anything itself.
7. Automate it (optional, Pro)On the iPhone, open Shortcuts → Automation → When charger is connected (or When joining Wi-Fi) → add the PixLaundry sync action. From then on, plugging in at night starts a sync of whatever is new.

Interrupted halfway? Just run it again. Every file is recorded the moment the Pixel saves it, so only the remaining ones are sent.

When a video won’t upload again

If you deleted a video from Google Photos and later re-upload the exact same file, Google Photos may treat it as already backed up and skip it — the phone says “backed up,” the cloud doesn’t have it. This is widely observed but not documented by Google.

PixLaundry’s Laundry (Pro) lists your biggest videos first and re-sends the ones you pick as fresh copies: the picture is unchanged, the capture date is kept, and the name gets “_px”. In our own testing, Laundry copies were backed up and sat next to the original on the same date. PixLaundry never signs in to Google, and how Google Photos handles any upload is up to Google.

Freeing space on your iPhone afterwards

• First confirm the items are in Google Photos — the web version at photos.google.com shows what’s really in the cloud.
• If you use iCloud Photos, deleting on the iPhone deletes from iCloud and every Apple device too. That’s what frees iCloud space, so be sure your copies are where you expect.
• Laundry’s optional delete originals only removes items the Pixel has a record of, after the app’s confirmation and the iPhone’s own. They stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days.

Sharing one Pixel with the family

Several phones can pair with the same Pixel, and each appears by name so you can unpair it later. Everything lands in the Pixel’s camera folder, which means it’s backed up to whichever Google account Google Photos uses on the Pixel. Separate accounts per person are a Google Photos setting, not something PixLaundry controls.

Good to know

• It’s Google’s benefit, not ours. PixLaundry isn’t affiliated with Google and doesn’t provide or guarantee cloud storage. Google’s help page doesn’t spell out how files from other devices are treated; many owners report it works, and Google can change its terms.
• Mind the old battery. A 2016 battery that’s charging around the clock can swell. A smart plug that limits charging to a few hours a day is a cheap safeguard; check the phone now and then.
• Size limit. Files over 10 GB are skipped with a warning.
• Live Photos are sent as still photos for now.
• Home Wi-Fi only. Transfers are local and not encrypted, so avoid public networks.

FAQ

Sources

1. Google Photos Help — storage for Pixel phones and the 15 GB limit
2. NBC News — Google curtails free photo storage (2020)
3. 9to5Google — the last unlimited Google Photos subscription ends (2026)
4. r/GooglePixel — “Does anyone use their Pixel 1 as a backup for more than one device?” (Jan 2026)
5. Syncthing Forum — syncing multiple phones to an OG Pixel

Google, Pixel and Google Photos are trademarks of Google LLC; iPhone and iCloud are trademarks of Apple Inc. PixLaundry is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by either.