Apple is about to make a long-requested change that could significantly change how iPhone users back up their photo libraries on third-party apps such as Google Photos and OneDrive. As first spotted by 9to5Mac, starting iOS 26.1, Apple is introducing a new method that allows third-party apps to back up photos automatically in the background.
Until now, apps like Google Photos, Dropbox, and OneDrive faced strict system restrictions on iOS. They could only upload images while actively running, leading to half-finished backups and user frustration. Apps like WhatsApp and Telegram also couldn"t send a large number of photos in the background due to these limitations. With iOS 26.1, it looks like Apple might finally be opening that door.
The new functionality is powered by Apple"s PhotoKit, which now features a new background upload extension leveraging the PHBackgroundResourceUploadExtension protocol. This Background Resource Upload extension would be able to handle uploads even when an app isn"t active. This means uploads can continue while the device is locked or another app is open. Apple wrote in the developer documentation that its operating system will call the extension whenever it wants to upload photos, and control other aspects of the device, such as power consumption and network access, to ensure consistency and battery efficiency.
According to Apple"s documentation, steps to integrate this new extension include creating and configuring an extension target, processing upload jobs, retrying failures, acknowledging completed uploads, and handling termination events. Some of these parts require explicit user consent, while others run automatically once the extension is activated.
For users, this means that they would get the same experience in uploading photos via third-party apps on par with iCloud Photos, and wouldn"t have to keep the app open for hours.
The move also hints that Apple might have tried to preemptively reduce antitrust scrutiny, especially after the EU"s Digital Markets Act.
Apple says that the framework is still in beta and might evolve further before iOS 26.1"s public release.
Via 9to5Mac