Google Photos is easy to fall into and oddly hard to leave — but it doesn’t have to be. Google built a proper export tool for this. Here’s how to move your entire Google Photos library to another service, original quality intact.
Before you start
Two things to check first: your photos should be stored at original quality (not “storage saver”), and you’ll want to confirm you have space on the destination. Google’s export will give you originals as they were uploaded.
How to export using Google Takeout
1. Open Google Takeout. Go to takeout.google.com and sign in.
2. Choose what to export. Deselect everything, then select only Google Photos.
3. Set the format. Choose a delivery method (e.g. download link), keep file type: original, and pick a max file size per archive.
4. Create export. Google prepares it in the background — for a large library this can take hours or days. You’ll get a link when it’s ready.
5. Download and organise. Your photos arrive as a folder structure. Unzip, then upload to your new service.
Where to move them
| Destination | Full-res originals | Deliver to people |
|---|---|---|
| Another general cloud (Drive/Dropbox) | Yes | No |
| Immich / Ente (privacy) | Yes | No |
| Snaptide | Yes | Yes |
The honest tip: don’t just park the export in another folder. Move it somewhere that does something with it — so your photos are safe and deliverable. Snaptide lets you upload the archive, publish it privately, and hand each person their own photos.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google Takeout keep original quality?
Yes — if your photos were uploaded at original quality, Takeout exports the originals as they were stored.
How long does Google Takeout take?
For a large library, archive creation can take hours to days. You’ll get an email when the download is ready.
Will I lose my Google Photos albums?
Takeout exports the images; album structure is largely lost, so plan to re-organise on the new service.
What’s the best place to move Google Photos to?
If you want full-res storage plus delivery, Snaptide is a strong fit. For pure private archiving, Immich or Ente.