Google Photos Update Keeps Your Digital Photo Frame Alive

Aura’s digital photo frames will continue to automatically sync with your Google Photos albums, following a collaborative effort to adapt to recent API changes that initially threatened to disable the feature. The company is now rolling out a full migration to Google’s new Ambient API, ensuring that Aura frame slideshows refresh with new photos automatically, rather than requiring owners to manually add them through the Google Photos app.

“With our updated Google Photos integration, you can add photos directly from the Google Photos app or sync an entire Google Photos album to keep Aura frames updated automatically,” Aura stated in its announcement. “Photos are sent directly to your Aura frames from Google Photos, without the need for manual uploads.”

Previously, Aura users could automatically add photos via native albums in the iOS camera roll or Android folders, but those relying on auto-sync with Google Photos faced a shutdown. This stemmed from Google altering how apps access Google Photos libraries. In March, Aura revealed it was working with Google to preserve the feature, and now it has successfully completed the migration.

However, the new Ambient API introduces a few adjustments. Chief among them: adding photos to Aura frames will now occur within the Google Photos app instead of Aura’s own interface. For iOS users, manual 1:1 photo selection moves to Google’s share sheet, while Android users will use a new in-app photo selector tool.

Existing auto-sync users need to reconnect their Google Photos albums in the Aura app to maintain automatic updates with new photos. Simply open the Aura app, select your frame, tap the “Add Photos” option, and then connect your Google account. New Aura customers must set up and use auto-sync and manual photo adding capabilities through the iOS share sheet or Android tool.