The sharing feature of Google Photos is no longer so intrusive.
Users can only share files that are located in the camera folder of their device.
Google has implemented new restrictions on a Google Photos feature that allows users to automatically share images and videos from their library with a partner. The update to partner sharing now states that only photos or videos captured with the device's default camera app can be shared. This means that partners will not have access to screenshots or images shared through services like WhatsApp.
Some Reddit users who utilize this feature initially regarded the change as a mistake, but several comments from a person presumed to be a Google employee indicated that the modification was made intentionally "to better align with the expectations of most users." This information is supported by an updated help article on partner sharing that mentions that “photos from other apps on Android are not shared with the partner’s account.”
This change may have been implemented to avoid situations where partners see screenshots of gifts or other items that were intended to be kept secret, although Google has not provided a clear explanation of the user expectations it is trying to meet. The modification to the partner sharing feature appears to have been rolled out in late October, and there is no option within the Photos app to remove these new restrictions. According to Android Police, users can force screenshots, downloads, and images taken with third-party apps to appear by editing them in the Photos app, but there apparently is no way to circumvent the limitation on a large scale.