Photo Streams is moving to Backdrops: What you need to know

What will happen to my photos?

Your photos are already waiting for you in Backdrops, so you don’t need to re-upload anything. When you open Backdrops, click on My Photos to find your personal albums, then choose one to display.

When will Photo Streams go away?

Over the next few months, you’ll start seeing messages about Photo Streams moving to Backdrops.
At the end of January 2026, Photo Streams will stop working and only display a message directing you to open Backdrops.

What will change for me?

Most of the things you could do in Photo Streams will still work in Backdrops, plus you’ll get new features like:

• Adjustable photo display time
• Curated art collections (about 4,500 images)!
• Quick launch using your Roku TV remote’s power button

Can I still use it as a screensaver?

Yes. In the Backdrops settings menu, set the auto-start time to 10 minutes and disable the Screen saverstart time from the Settings menu.

This ensures your screen saver stays on as usual and is not interrupted by other settings.

Can I combine multiple albums like before?

Not exactly. Backdrops lets you show one album at a time. If you want to mix photos, you can add your favorites to the Favorites album, but note that you can’t combine photos uploaded to Backdrops and Google Photos in the same album.

Why is Roku making this change?

Backdrops brings photos into one app that's easier to use, more customizable, and will allow us to keep adding new photo and ambient experiences over time.