Accounts & securityPractical guide · updated for 2026
How to Export All Your Photos From Google Photos
Use the export tool to download an archive, and take it in batches if the library is large. Check the archive opens and the files are full size before you delete anything from the service.
Have this ready
- Storage space for the archive on your own drive
- Access to the account's export page
- A plan for where the files will live long term
Step by step
- 1Open the export page for your account and choose photos as the data to export.
- 2Choose a file size and destination, and split the export by year if the library is large.
- 3Start the export and note the email that will carry the download links.
- 4Download every part and keep them together in one folder on a drive you own.
- 5Open a sample of files to confirm they are full resolution and the dates are intact.
- 6Check that albums and videos came through, since those are the usual gaps.
- 7Only then remove anything from the service, keeping a backup copy elsewhere.
Want it done with you?
I can walk you through it in a Magic Box, show you the exact clicks, or do it with you and keep the recording. You log in yourself; I never see your password.
Common questions
How long does an export take?+
From hours to a few days for large libraries. You get an email with links when each part is ready.
Will I get my albums back?+
The archive includes album information in metadata files, but recreating albums elsewhere may need manual work.
Does exporting delete anything?+
No. Exporting only copies data out; deletion is a separate step you control.