I've used Google Photos for more than a decade. It just works so well across Android, iOS, the web, and desktop. As primarily an iPhone user, I love that it gives me an alternative to Apple Photos, a service I don't especially love, but that's another story.

For me, the biggest draw is having a searchable, cloud-backed photo library. I can use it to find a specific photo buried deep in my account, whether it's that Christmas photo of my dog, a Home Depot receipt, a beach sunset, my daughter's birthday cake, or a person, in seconds. It's also packed with fun editing features that make it easy to turn old photos into something new.

Also: I'm no longer using Google Photos as just a cloud storage - 5 tools that elevate the app

The thing is, no matter how much I like Google Photos, I never install it fresh and let it loose on my camera roll without checking a few settings. Sometimes, that means tightening up privacy and security. Other times, it means enabling useful backup or turning off AI features that make the app feel busy. Either way, these are the Google Photos settings I change first, and why.

This sounds basic -- until 12,000 toddler photos are backed up to the wrong Gmail account. On iOS and Android, open the app, tap the profile picture, go to Photos settings > Backup, and check the account listed under Account and storage. I make sure it's my main Google account, not a work account, burner account, or ancient YouTube-commenting account I haven't used since 2016.

Backing up is one of the main reasons to use Google Photos, right? So, on iOS and Android, I make sure Backup is enabled. Just tap the profile picture > Photos settings > Backup, then turn Backup on. Next, I decide what I actually want to save to my account.