Google Photos is easily the most popular photo storage app on Android devices. Its top-notch backup and sharing features make it the go-to app for many. But ever since Google started monetizing the Photos app, it’s become harder and harder for people to keep using this otherwise perfect photo gallery app.

An easy alternative to backing up your photos is to download or transfer them to your PC. Of course, you could always save those photos directly to your phone. But since most PCs have more storage space than smartphones (even with external storage), it’s better to transfer them to your PC. Here are all the ways you can do that and easily access your photos and videos without worrying about the 15GB account storage limit.

Most of the methods described below require that Google Photos backup services remain enabled. Even if you don't have a lot of storage space left, make sure you have enough for the photos and videos you want to transfer or download.

By default, backup services are turned on. But you may want to make sure that's the case, as backup services can be turned off if you're running low on storage space or if you're in battery saver mode. Here's how to make sure Google Photos Backup & Sync is turned on: