For years, Samsung Galaxy phones came with Microsoft OneDrive baked directly into the Gallery app as the default cloud backup solution. It was convenient, seamless, and required almost no setup. That arrangement is now over. Samsung has ended its built-in OneDrive integration inside Samsung Gallery, with the feature being pulled from newer app versions well ahead of the official September 30, 2026 deadline. For millions of Galaxy users who relied on that automatic backup without thinking about it, this change creates a real and immediate question: what do you use instead?
This guide covers every major cloud storage option available for Samsung Galaxy devices in 2026, what each one actually offers, and which one makes the most sense depending on how you use your phone.
Why Samsung Removed OneDrive
The seven-year partnership between Samsung and Microsoft that brought OneDrive integration into Samsung Gallery has come to an end as part of a broader strategic shift. Microsoft is now focusing on OneDrive as a standalone product rather than an embedded feature inside partner apps. Samsung, meanwhile, has been moving toward promoting its own Samsung Cloud services and Google's ecosystem as the primary backup paths for Galaxy device owners. The result is that the built-in Gallery sync is gone — but the need to back up your photos and videos is not.
Samsung Cloud: The Most Seamless Choice for Galaxy Users
Samsung Cloud is the most natural replacement for Galaxy device owners because it is already built into every Samsung Galaxy phone and requires no additional app installation. It backs up photos, videos, contacts, calendars, messages, app data, and device settings everything in one place.
The free tier offers 15GB of storage, which is enough for light users. Paid plans expand to 50GB for approximately $0.99 per month, 200GB for $2.99 per month, and 2TB for $9.99 per month. Samsung Cloud integrates directly with Samsung Gallery, Samsung Notes, Samsung Health, and the rest of the Galaxy ecosystem, meaning the backup experience is entirely native. When you set up a new Galaxy device, Samsung Cloud restores everything automatically apps, settings, wallpapers, and media in a way that no third-party service can match.
If you are a Samsung-only user who does not need cross-platform access to your files, Samsung Cloud is the most straightforward and complete replacement for the OneDrive integration you have lost.
Google Photos: The Best Free Option for Photos and Videos
Google Photos is the most widely used cloud photo backup service on Android and for good reason. Every Google account comes with 15GB of free storage shared across Google Photos, Gmail, and Google Drive. For most casual users, 15GB covers a substantial library of photos before a paid upgrade becomes necessary. Google One plans start at $2.99 per month for 100GB, $4.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB.
Google Photos automatically backs up every photo and video taken on your Galaxy phone the moment it is connected to Wi-Fi. The search and organisation features are genuinely impressive the AI can identify faces, locations, objects, and events without any manual tagging. It also creates automatic highlight reels, animated collages, and memories that surface older photos in an enjoyable way.
For Samsung Galaxy users, Google Photos is pre-installed on every Galaxy device and already signed into your Google account from the moment you set the phone up. Enabling backup takes a single toggle. If you switch phones in the future even to a non-Samsung device your entire photo library comes with you. That cross-platform flexibility is Google Photos' strongest advantage over Samsung Cloud.
OneDrive Standalone App: If You Are Already in the Microsoft Ecosystem
Even though Samsung Gallery no longer supports the built-in OneDrive sync, OneDrive itself still works perfectly fine on Samsung Galaxy phones through its dedicated app. If you use Microsoft 365, have a work or school account, or simply have years of files and photos already stored in OneDrive, there is no need to abandon the service entirely.
To continue backing up your camera roll to OneDrive, install the OneDrive app from the Galaxy Store or Google Play, sign in with your Microsoft account, go to your profile, select Camera backup, and toggle it on. From that point forward, every photo and video you take will automatically sync to OneDrive exactly as before — the only difference is that it runs through the standalone app rather than through Samsung Gallery directly.
Microsoft 365 Personal subscribers get 1TB of OneDrive storage included in their subscription, which makes OneDrive an easy choice for anyone already paying for Microsoft 365. The free tier offers 5GB, which is modest compared to Google Photos and Samsung Cloud but functional for light use.
Google Drive: Best for Documents and Mixed File Types
While Google Photos handles media backup, Google Drive is the better choice for documents, PDFs, APK files, and any other file type that does not fit neatly into a photo library. Every Google account comes with 15GB of shared storage across Drive and Photos, and the Drive app on Galaxy phones is pre-installed and ready to use.
For Samsung users who work with a lot of documents, spreadsheets, and presentations alongside their photos, using Google Photos for media and Google Drive for everything else is a logical combination that costs nothing beyond the base Google account.
Dropbox: Best for Cross-Platform and Business Use
Dropbox is the most cross-platform cloud storage option on this list. It works identically on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, and its desktop sync client is more reliable than most competitors for keeping files up to date across multiple devices simultaneously. For Galaxy users who also work on Windows or Mac computers and need files available on all of them without manual uploading, Dropbox remains one of the most dependable options available.
The free tier is limited to 2GB, which is genuinely restrictive for photo backup. The Plus plan at $11.99 per month for 2TB is more expensive than Google One or Samsung Cloud for comparable storage but includes advanced features like version history of up to 180 days, meaning deleted or overwritten files can be recovered long after the fact. For business users and anyone who needs enterprise-grade file management, Dropbox's paid tiers are worth the premium.
pCloud: Best for One-Time Lifetime Payment
pCloud is less well known than the options above but deserves a mention for one specific reason it offers a lifetime storage plan. Rather than paying monthly forever, pCloud allows a one-time payment of approximately $199 for 500GB of lifetime storage or $399 for 2TB. For users who find recurring cloud storage subscriptions frustrating, pCloud's lifetime model is a genuinely compelling alternative.
The pCloud app works well on Samsung Galaxy phones and supports automatic camera backup, file sharing, and offline access. The service is based in Switzerland and emphasises privacy and data security as core selling points. For long-term Samsung users who want to pay once and never think about cloud storage again, pCloud is worth considering seriously.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right answer depends entirely on how you use your Galaxy device. For most people who primarily want automatic photo and video backup and are already in the Google ecosystem, Google Photos at the free 15GB tier or a Google One subscription is the simplest and most cost-effective choice. For users who want the deepest integration with their Galaxy phone, device restore on every new Samsung purchase, and a genuinely native experience, Samsung Cloud is the better fit. For anyone already paying for Microsoft 365, setting up camera backup through the standalone OneDrive app takes two minutes and continues the same backup behaviour they had before.
Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to make sure it is actively running before September 30, 2026 to avoid any gap in coverage. Open your current backup app, confirm it is syncing, and check that your most recent photos are actually appearing in the cloud. That single check could save years of memories.
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