Transferring Your Visual Legacy: How to Move All Google Photos to Another Account

So, you’re looking to relocate your photographic treasure trove from one Google Photos account to another? Maybe you’re consolidating accounts, starting fresh, or simply divesting from a shared one. Whatever the reason, you’ve come to the right place. The process, while not a one-click solution directly from Google, is definitely achievable with a bit of strategic maneuvering. Here’s the definitive guide, broken down for maximum clarity:

The core method relies on leveraging Google’s collaborative sharing features coupled with a secondary backup. The recipient account needs adequate storage to accommodate all the photos being transferred. The first step is to share your entire library with the target Google Account, followed by having the target account save all shared photos and videos to their own Google Photos library. Here’s the detailed breakdown:

1. Share Your Entire Library: From your original Google Photos account, enable Partner Sharing. To do this, go to Google Photos, click your profile picture, and select “Photos settings,” then “Partner sharing.” Set the recipient to the Google Account you want to transfer your photos to. This allows the recipient account to see everything you upload or only photos from a certain date. Choose to share all photos or only share photos of specific people or from a certain date. This sharing isn’t strictly a “move,” but it’s the necessary prelude.

2. Accept the Invitation and Save to Library: From the recipient Google account, accept the partner sharing invitation. Ensure that you enable the “Save to your account” setting. This automatically adds all the shared photos and videos to the recipient’s Google Photos library. Keep in mind that this does not “move” the photos from the original account. They will still exist in the original account.

3. Verify the Transfer: Check the new Google Photos account to ensure all images and videos have been successfully copied. Depending on the size of your library and your internet connection, this process could take a considerable amount of time.

4. Deactivate Partner Sharing Once you are sure the photos are in the new account, deactivate Partner Sharing from the original account to prevent future content from being shared.

5. Consider a Download and Upload Strategy (As Needed): If you require the new account to be the sole owner of the content and the original account needs to be empty, download all content from the old account using Google Takeout. Delete all content from the original account and then upload it to the new account.

Let’s delve into some crucial considerations and address common questions that often arise during this process.

Understanding the Nuances of Transferring Google Photos

Handling Large Photo Libraries

Transferring a substantial collection of photos and videos can be a time-consuming endeavor. Ensure you have a stable internet connection to prevent interruptions during the sharing and saving phases. Be patient; the process can take hours or even days, depending on the size of your library.

Storage Considerations

The recipient Google account needs sufficient storage space to accommodate the incoming photos and videos. If the new account is already nearing its storage limit, consider purchasing additional storage before initiating the transfer. This prevents any photos from being missed due to insufficient space.

Metadata and Organization

When using Partner Sharing, the original metadata (dates, locations, etc.) should be preserved when the photos are saved to the recipient’s account. Albums, however, are not transferred automatically. You’ll need to manually recreate albums in the new account or explore third-party tools to facilitate album migration. If you are downloading using Google Takeout, you will also receive all metadata that Google has collected, alongside the files.

Google Takeout: A Download and Upload Alternative

Google Takeout allows you to download all of your Google data, including your Google Photos library. While it’s a more cumbersome process than Partner Sharing, it provides a complete backup of your photos and videos. You can then upload this backup to another Google account, giving you granular control over the entire process. This is especially useful if you intend to completely empty the original account after the transfer. Be aware that downloading a very large library can take significant time and disk space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I move photos directly without sharing?

Unfortunately, Google doesn’t offer a direct “move” function for Google Photos between accounts. The methods described above are the workaround.

2. Will the photo quality be affected during the transfer?

If you’re using Partner Sharing and the recipient saves the photos to their library, the quality should remain the same as the original uploads. If you are using Google Takeout, you will get the files in the original quality. Google does offer a choice to convert photos and videos for download, but it is not required.

3. What happens to the photos in the original account after the transfer?

The photos will remain in the original account unless you manually delete them. Partner Sharing creates a copy in the recipient’s account. If you want to remove the originals from the source account, you must delete them after the transfer is complete and verified in the new account.

4. How long does it take to transfer all my photos?

The transfer time depends on the size of your library and your internet connection speed. Smaller libraries might take a few hours, while larger ones could take several days. Google will usually send emails about the progress of a large transfer.

5. Can I transfer albums as well?

No, Partner Sharing does not transfer albums. You need to recreate them manually in the new account or seek out third-party solutions designed for album migration. Google Takeout also does not include the album data.

6. Will the timestamps and other metadata be preserved?

Yes, timestamps and other metadata (location data, camera information) are typically preserved when using Partner Sharing and saving to the recipient’s library. If using Google Takeout, the metadata is kept separate from the photos.

7. What if the recipient account doesn’t have enough storage?

The recipient account will need sufficient storage to accommodate all the incoming photos. Consider purchasing additional storage for the recipient account before initiating the transfer.

8. Can I transfer photos from a Google Workspace (business) account to a personal Google account?

Yes, the process is the same. However, ensure that the Google Workspace administrator allows sharing outside the organization. Some Workspace accounts have restrictions on external sharing.

9. Is there a limit to the number of photos I can transfer?

While there isn’t a hard limit documented, Google might throttle the transfer speed for extremely large libraries. Break down extremely large libraries into manageable chunks and share with the receiving account using Partner Sharing and date ranges.

10. Can I automate this process?

Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide a fully automated solution for moving Google Photos between accounts. You’ll need to use the methods described above. There may be some third-party options that require the login credentials of both accounts. Be careful to use a trusted and reputable service.

11. Can I transfer photos directly to another cloud storage service like Dropbox or OneDrive?

No, Partner Sharing is only for transferring photos between Google Accounts. For transferring to another service, you would need to download photos from Google Photos using Google Takeout and upload them to the desired cloud storage service.

12. What should I do if the transfer fails or gets interrupted?

If the transfer fails, check your internet connection and try again. If using Partner Sharing, you might need to restart the sharing process. If you encounter persistent issues, consider contacting Google Support for assistance.