How to Download Google Photos to Android/PC? [Latest Info]
For Android phone users, Google Photos is a good tool to back up pictures, so most of them know how to upload images from Android to Google Photos. However, getting the way to download Google Photos to Android or a computer is also important or you will be unable to view and manage them. So, for the people who are unfamiliar with this operation, this article comes.
Part 1: Download Google Photos to PC/Mac
To download images from Google Photos to a computer, there are two methods available:
1. Sync Photos from Google Photos to PC on Website
- Go to photos.google.com on your PC or Mac.
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Choose the photos you want to move to your computer.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and choose Download.
Note: If you want to sync all the pictures on Google Photos, you need to select the first image first and then keep holding the Shift key and scroll down to the last photo. Next, click the last photo to choose all photos. After that, you can tap on the three-dot icon at the top right corner and select Download.
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2. Use Google Takeout to Transfer the Pictures
Google Takeout is a program that can be used to download all files from Google Photos to a computer, mobile phone, or other devices. You can use it to export all your photos and videos in bulk. This method lets you download them as compressed ZIP files for easy transfer and backup. To do this:
- Go to Google Takeout and sign in with your Google account.
- Click Deselect all to uncheck all services.
- Scroll down and select Google Photos.
- Click Next step at the bottom of the page.
- Choose your delivery method (e.g., email download link, add to Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box).
- Select file type (ZIP is recommended) and archive size (e.g., 2GB, 5GB).
- Click Create export.
- Wait for Google to prepare the export (this may take minutes to hours, depending on your library size).
- Once ready, download the ZIP file to your PC or Mac.
- Extract the ZIP file to access all your photos and videos.
Will downloading photos delete them from Google Photos? No. Downloading photos does not remove them from your Google Photos account. Your cloud library remains intact unless you manually delete items.
Part 2: Move Pictures from Google Photos to Android Phone
It is also feasible to sync Google Photos to an Android phone. Here, you have two options as well:
1. Save Google Photos to Device Directly
This means allows you to move images from Google Photos to Gallery in the app directly. But by using this method, you can only transfer one picture at a time.
- Open the Google Photos app on your Android device.
- Sign in with the Google account that contains the photos.
- Browse or search for the photos you want to save locally.
- Tap and hold a photo to select it (or select multiple photos).
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and choose Download or Save to device.
- The selected photos will be saved to your phone's Gallery/Photos app.
2. Download Multiple Pictures on Google Photos via Google Drive
If you want to sync multiple photos rather than only one picture to your mobile phone, you can complete it in virtue of Google Drive:
- Open Google Drive and sign in with your Google account.
- Make sure your Google Photos are linked to Google Drive (check Settings > Create a Google Photos folder).
- Open the Google Photos folder in Drive.
- Press and hold Ctrl (Windows)/Command (Mac) to select multiple photos, or click the first photo, hold
- Shift, and click the last photo to select a range.
- Right-click on the selected photos and choose Download.
- The photos will be downloaded as a ZIP file to your computer.
- Extract the ZIP file to access all the downloaded pictures from Google Drive.
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FAQs about Downloading Google Photos to Computer/Android
Q1: What file formats are my downloaded photos and videos saved in?
Downloaded photos are usually in JPEG format, while videos are typically MP4. If using Google Takeout, your original formats and folder structure are preserved.
Q2: Can I download Google Photos if I have limited storage on my Android device?
Yes. You can selectively download specific photos or albums, or download them to a computer first and then transfer only the ones you need to your phone to save space.
Q3: Is it possible to automatically back up downloaded photos to my computer?
Yes. You can set up Google Backup & Sync or Drive for Desktop to automatically sync your Google Photos library with your computer, ensuring a continuous backup of new uploads.
Q4. Can I download photos directly from Google Photos to my SD card?
Not directly. First download photos to your device storage, then move them to the SD card using a file manager app.
Q5: What should I do if some photos fail to download?
- Ensure a stable internet connection.
- Check if you are signed in to the correct Google account.
- Try downloading smaller batches or using Google Takeout for large libraries.
Q6: Can I download photos from a shared album?
Yes. Open the shared album in Google Photos, select the photos you want, and tap Download. Shared albums can also be downloaded via Google Takeout if linked to your account.
Q7: Does downloading affect photo quality?
Downloading via Google Photos web or Takeout preserves original quality. Using some third-party apps may compress the images, so check the Settings before downloading.
Part 4: A Simpler Way to Back Up Android Photos
Some users may find backing up photos to Google Photos tedious or prefer an alternative method. In that case, MobiKin Assistant for Android (Windows/Mac) offers a new way to sync your Android photos. With this tool, you can easily transfer images from your Android device to your computer for safekeeping.
Best of all, all the photos on your phone can be moved with just a few simple clicks. Sounds convenient, doesn't it? Try it out by downloading the free trial today:
- After downloading and installing the software, open it and connect your Android device to the computer using a USB cable.
- Follow the on-screen prompt to enable USB debugging on your phone.
- Check the option to confirm it's turned on and click Next to start scanning your device.
- Once the scan is complete, the main interface will display various categories such as Photos, Videos, Books, Apps, and more.
- Click on the Photo category and open your phone's Gallery to preview your images.
- Select the pictures you want to transfer and click Export to save them to your computer.
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