Google Photos is losing a feature your long-distance family loved

What you need to know

• New Google Photos API changes are cutting off automatic syncing for some digital photo frames like Aura and Cozyla.
• Starting March 17, Aura users will need to manually add photos, and Cozyla users are in the same boat.
• Google announced these changes last September, and they officially take effect on March 31.

Google’s recent changes to how third-party apps can access Google Photos have thrown a wrench into things, causing headaches for a bunch of digital photo frame makers.

For years, digital photo frame companies have used Google Photos’ tools to easily pull in your pictures and keep them updated. But now, thanks to some recent tweaks to those tools, as The Verge reported, those handy connections are getting cut off, leaving a few digital photo frames in the lurch.

Google’s updates to its Photos API were meant to boost user privacy, but they’ve also disabled automatic syncing for some devices, like Aura and Cozyla frames. This means those once-smooth slideshows of your favorite pet album won’t update like they used to.

Before the API changes, Aura’s app let users browse their Photos library and pick what to display on their digital frames. The ‘auto-add’ feature made it even easier by automatically syncing new photos to selected albums.

However, starting March 17, Aura is pulling the plug on its automatic Google Photos sync, as Senior Director of Communications Jenisse Curry confirmed. That means you’ll have to manually upload photos through the Google Photos app if you want to share new pictures with family on your Aura frame.

Cozyla is jumping on the same bandwagon and ditching its Google Photos auto-sync too, as per a Reddit thread. So, if you’re rocking a Cozyla frame, get ready to switch to manual uploads for your photo updates.

Google first unveiled the news about its Photos API changes back in September, and now it's finally rolling out on March 31. According to Google, the updates aim to beef up user privacy.

While Google is phasing out this beloved feature, the tech giant is also working on new ways to let devices securely access your Photos library. Interestingly, it recently hinted at expanding Google Photos integration to more devices, like smart fridges and newer digital photo frames.

Google isn’t ditching digital photo frames altogether, but with backend changes in the works, existing frames could face some temporary or even long-term hiccups. The full details are still under wraps, so it’s a wait-and-see situation.