Ente vs Google Photos: privacy and setup guide

Amanda Littlecott compares Ente with Google Photos and walks through account setup, backups and library management on phones and Mac or PC. She describes Ente as a private photo storage service that encrypts images on the device before upload, with facial recognition and smart search handled through on-device processing.

The tutorial covers importing files, folders and Google Takeout ZIP exports. Desktop watch folders provide one-way backup of new files, while the phone app backs up selected camera-roll folders or albums. Littlecott recommends enabling two-factor authentication, testing migration with a small batch and verifying the full import before deleting originals.

Sharing options include account-based album permissions and links that recipients can open without an Ente account. The walkthrough explains viewer, collaborator and admin roles, plus password and expiry settings for links. It also covers removing backed-up phone copies to reclaim space and reviewing potential duplicates before deletion.

Face recognition is off by default and requires manual activation in machine-learning settings. Initial indexing can take time, especially with large libraries. Littlecott favors Ente's encryption and export options but says it lacks Google Photos' advanced AI editing tools. Her comparison frames migration time and reduced editing convenience as practical considerations.