How to Transfer Google Photos from One Account to Another: A Comprehensive Guide

Google Photos is a fantastic service for storing and managing your precious memories. However, there might come a time when you need to transfer your photos and videos from one Google account to another. Perhaps you’ve created a new personal account, are consolidating multiple accounts, or are simply changing your primary Google account. Whatever the reason, the process can seem daunting, but fear not! This comprehensive guide will walk you through all the methods available to transfer your Google Photos, ensuring you don’t lose a single cherished moment.

Why Transfer Your Google Photos?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s quickly explore some common scenarios that might necessitate a Google Photos transfer:

• Account Consolidation: You may have multiple Google accounts and wish to consolidate all your photos into one primary account for easier management.
• New Personal Account: You might want to move away from a shared or work Google account to a new personal one for better privacy and control.
• Changing Primary Account: If you’ve switched your primary Google account, transferring your photos ensures you can access them with your new credentials.
• Family Sharing: While Google Photos has sharing features, some users might prefer to directly transfer photos within their family accounts for more organized and readily available access.
• Backup Purposes: Some users might transfer photos to a secondary account as a backup, providing an extra layer of security.

Methods for Transferring Google Photos

There are several methods you can use to transfer your Google Photos. Each has its own pros and cons, and the best method for you will depend on the amount of data you need to transfer, the device you’re using, and your technical comfort level. Here are the most effective options:

1. Sharing Albums (Manual Method):

   This is the simplest method, ideal for transferring a few albums or a small number of photos. It involves creating a shared album in your source account and then joining the album with your target account.

   Steps:

   1. Log in to the Source Account: Open Google Photos in your browser (photos.google.com) or the mobile app and log in to the Google account containing the photos you want to transfer.
   2. Create a Shared Album: Select the photos and/or albums you wish to transfer. Click the ‘+’ icon (or ‘Add to album’ on mobile) and choose ‘Shared album’. Create a new shared album if you haven’t already, and give it a descriptive name.
   3. Share the Album: Once created, click the Share button (the ‘share’ icon, looks like an arrow pointing up in a box). Choose the option to share a link. You can also share directly to another google account by adding it as a contributor. Copy the link to your clipboard if sharing via link.
   4. Log in to the Target Account: Log out of the source account and log into your target Google account on your browser or the Google Photos app.
   5. Access the Shared Album: If you copied the link, paste it into your browser. If you added the target account as a contributor, simply navigate to ‘Sharing’ on the sidebar menu in the Google Photos app, and open the shared album.
   6. Save to Your Account: Open each photo/video from the shared album and click the three dots (ellipsis) menu. Then, click “Save to library.” This will copy the items to your Google Photos library.

   Pros: Simple, no technical expertise required, good for small transfers.

   Cons: Time-consuming for large libraries, requires manual saving of each item, potential loss of metadata (like creation date). Not recommended for entire libraries.

2. Google Takeout (Download and Upload Method):

   Google Takeout is a powerful tool for exporting all your Google data, including your Google Photos. This method is best suited for transferring large libraries. It involves downloading your photos from one account and then uploading them to the other.

   Steps:

   1. Go to Google Takeout: Navigate to https://takeout.google.com/ in your browser and log in to the source Google account that contains the photos you want to transfer.
   2. Select Google Photos: You’ll see a list of all Google services. Click ‘Deselect all’, then select ‘Google Photos’. If you only want to export specific albums, you can choose “All photo albums included” and select specific albums to download.
   3. Customize the Export: Scroll down and click ‘Next step’.
   4. Choose Export Settings:
      • Delivery method: Select the delivery method, the default is a link to your download archive via email. Other options include uploading to cloud storage such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox.
      • Frequency: Choose ‘Export once’ for a one-time transfer.
      • File type & size: Select .zip or .tgz format, and choose the max file size, the larger the max size, the fewer files you will receive. It’s best to pick the max size that you are comfortable working with.
   5. Create Export: Click ‘Create export’. Google will now process your request. This may take some time, especially for large photo libraries. You will receive an email when the archive is ready for download.
   6. Download Your Archive: Once the export is ready, Google will email you a link to download your archive. Download it to your computer. You may have multiple archive files depending on the size of your photo library.
   7. Log in to the Target Account: Log out of the source account and log into your target Google account on your browser or the Google Photos app.
   8. Upload Photos: Open Google Photos on your target account (photos.google.com or the app). Drag and drop the archive files (zip/tgz) into your browser window, or upload them via the upload option in Google Photos. Depending on your internet speed and the size of your library, this process may take some time.

   Pros: Best for large transfers, preserves metadata, downloads all photos.

   Cons: Requires good internet speeds and storage space to download, may take time to upload, archive files may need to be unzipped, can be more technically complex.

3. Partner Sharing (Less Suitable for Full Transfer):

   While Partner Sharing is designed for sharing specific photos and videos with a partner, it can also be used as a workaround for transferring an entire library, albeit a very cumbersome one. It involves sharing the entire library with the target account.

   Steps:

   1. Log into the Source Account: Open Google Photos in your browser or the app and log in to the Google account containing the photos you want to transfer.
   2. Set Up Partner Sharing: In Google Photos settings, select ‘Partner sharing’ and then select the target Google account as your partner.
   3. Choose Share Options: Select “All photos.” This will share your entire library with the specified account.
   4. Log in to the Target Account: Log out of the source account and log into your target Google account on your browser or the Google Photos app.
   5. Save to Your Account: Open each photo/video from the shared library and click the three dots (ellipsis) menu. Then, click “Save to library.” This will copy the items to your Google Photos library.

   Pros: Can be used to move the entire library by saving each picture individually from the shared library.

   Cons: Incredibly time-consuming since you need to manually save every single photo/video. Partner sharing isn’t designed for this use case and can lead to storage issues if your library is large. Not recommended for more than a very small number of photos.

4. Using a Third-Party Tool (Use With Caution):

   There are third-party tools and applications claiming to simplify the transfer of Google Photos. However, it is crucial to exercise extreme caution when using such tools. These tools often require access to your Google account, and using untrusted tools may put your data at risk.

   Steps: This will vary wildly based on the tool you choose. It’s highly recommended to do extensive research, read reviews, and carefully evaluate the reliability of the tool before providing access to your Google account.

   Pros: Some tools promise a faster and more automated process. In theory, can move large libraries and be less cumbersome than manual methods.

   Cons: High-security risks involved with giving third-party tools access to your Google account data. There is also a possibility of corrupted or lost data when using tools of questionable nature. Use these tools at your own risk and only when fully understanding the security risks.

Choosing the Right Method

Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the appropriate method:

• Small Library (Less than 100 photos/videos): Use the Sharing Albums (Manual Method).
• Medium to Large Library (Hundreds or thousands of photos/videos): Use Google Takeout (Download and Upload Method).
• For Ongoing Backup: Use Google Takeout.
• Not Recommended: Avoid Partner Sharing for full library transfer and proceed with caution if you decide to use third-party tools.

Important Considerations

• Storage: Make sure the target account has enough storage space in Google Photos before transferring. You may need to purchase additional storage if necessary.
• Time: The transfer process can take a considerable amount of time, especially for large libraries. Be prepared to wait.
• Internet Connection: A stable and fast internet connection is crucial, especially when using the Google Takeout method.
• Metadata: Google Takeout generally preserves the original metadata, while sharing albums might not.
• Organization: Transferred photos might not retain their original album structures when transferring using Google Takeout.
• Video Quality: Ensure you’re downloading and uploading the original quality videos if quality is of paramount importance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Will the original creation dates be preserved?

A: Google Takeout should preserve creation dates. The shared album method may not, as it treats the date the album was created as the photo’s creation date.

Q: Can I transfer photos directly between two Google accounts?

A: Google does not offer a direct one-click transfer service. You will have to use one of the methods described above.

Q: How long does the Google Takeout process take?

A: The time it takes depends on the size of your photo library. It could range from a few minutes to several hours, or even a day for extremely large libraries.

Q: Will I lose photo quality during the transfer?

A: No, if you use Google Takeout, the original photo and video quality will be preserved. If you are saving them from a shared album, ensure you are saving the original files if quality is of paramount importance.

Q: Can I transfer albums and not just individual photos?

A: While Google Takeout allows you to select entire albums, the album organization may not be completely preserved when transferring to your new account.

Q: Is it possible to transfer photos from Google Photos to another cloud service?

A: Yes, Google Takeout allows you to export to a variety of other cloud storage services, like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, this way you can export from your Google account, then import to any other cloud service.

Conclusion

Transferring Google Photos from one account to another might seem daunting, but with the right approach, it can be done effectively. This guide has provided you with detailed instructions for multiple methods, each with its advantages and drawbacks. Choosing the appropriate method based on your needs and technical expertise will ensure a smooth transfer of your valuable memories. Always prioritize data security and be cautious when using third-party tools. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can seamlessly move your photos and videos to your desired Google account, keeping your precious memories safe and accessible.

Remember to always back up your photos regularly! This will give you peace of mind knowing that your most cherished memories are safe, regardless of which account you are using!