Google Photos is a fantastic service for storing and sharing photos. It allows you to upload unlimited photos and videos for free, although storage space is limited for high-resolution files. What happens if you need to download those photos for personal use or for sharing with someone who doesn’t have a Google Photos account? Don’t worry! Downloading photos from Google Photos is easy.
Downloading Individual Photos
The most straightforward way to download a single photo is by selecting the photo you want to download. This can be done either from your phone or computer. Here’s how:
- On your phone: Open the Google Photos app and navigate to the photo you wish to download. Tap on the photo to open it, and then tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the screen. Choose “Download” from the menu.
- On your computer: Visit photos.google.com and log in to your account. Locate the desired photo and click on it to open it. You’ll see a download icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Click on it to download the photo.
Downloading Multiple Photos
You can also download multiple photos at once. This is useful when you need to download several photos at once, for example, for creating a photo album or for sharing with a friend.
Here's how you can download multiple photos from Google Photos:
- On your phone: Open the Google Photos app and go to the album or folder containing the photos you want to download. Select the photos by tapping on the small circle in the top left corner of each photo thumbnail. Once selected, the circle will turn blue. Tap the “Share” icon in the top-right corner of the screen, followed by “Download.”
- On your computer: Visit photos.google.com and log in to your account. Select the desired photos by clicking on the checkbox at the top left corner of each photo. Once the photos are selected, click the three vertical dots icon in the top right corner of the screen and choose “Download.”
Downloading an Entire Album
You can also download an entire album from Google Photos. This is helpful if you need to download all the photos from a specific event or trip.
Here's how to download an entire album from Google Photos:
- On your phone: Open the Google Photos app and navigate to the album you want to download. Tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the screen. Choose “Download” from the menu.
- On your computer: Visit photos.google.com and log in to your account. Select the album you wish to download by clicking on it. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the screen and choose “Download.”
Downloading Photos in Original Quality
By default, Google Photos compresses photos to save storage space. However, if you have a Google One subscription, you can download your photos in original quality. To download photos in original quality, follow these steps:
- On your phone: Open the Google Photos app and go to the photo you wish to download. Tap on the photo to open it, and then tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the screen. Choose “Download” from the menu. A prompt will appear asking if you want to download in high or original quality. Select “Original” for the highest quality download.
- On your computer: Visit photos.google.com and log in to your account. Locate the desired photo and click on it to open it. You’ll see a download icon in the top-right corner of the screen. Click on it to download the photo. A prompt will appear asking if you want to download in high or original quality. Select “Original” for the highest quality download.
Downloading Photos in Different Formats
Google Photos allows you to download your photos in different formats, including JPEG, PNG, and GIF. This is useful if you need a specific file type for a particular purpose.
Here's how to download photos in different formats:
- On your phone: Unfortunately, there’s no way to directly download photos in a different format through the Google Photos app.
- On your computer: Go to photos.google.com and log in to your account. Select the photos you wish to download by clicking on the checkbox at the top left corner of each photo. Once the photos are selected, click the three vertical dots icon in the top right corner of the screen and choose “Download.” A prompt will appear asking if you want to download the photos in a specific format. Select the desired format.
Downloading All Photos at Once
If you need to download all your photos from Google Photos, here’s how:
- On your phone: The Google Photos app doesn’t offer a feature to download all your photos at once.
- On your computer: Google Photos doesn’t offer a feature to download all your photos at once. However, you can use a third-party tool like “Google Takeout” to download all your data from Google, including photos, videos, and other content. Google Takeout allows you to select specific data types to download, including photos.
Downloading Photos from Google Photos Using Google Takeout
Google Takeout is a free Google tool that lets you download your data from Google services, including photos from Google Photos. Here’s how to download photos from Google Photos using Google Takeout:
- Go to https://takeout.google.com/ and sign in to your Google account.
- Choose “Google Photos” under “Select data to include.”
- Under “Choose file type,” select the format you want your photos to be downloaded in (zip, tgz, or json).
- Under “Choose delivery method,” select the method you prefer, like email or Dropbox.
- Click “Create export.”
What Happens When I Download My Photos from Google Photos?
Downloading photos from Google Photos doesn’t delete them from your Google Photos account. They will still be stored in your Google Photos library.
Downloading Photos from Google Photos: FAQs
Q: How can I download photos from Google Photos that I've deleted?
A: Unfortunately, once you delete a photo from Google Photos, it goes to your trash folder. You can restore them from there, but if you’ve emptied your trash folder, the photos are gone forever and cannot be recovered.
Q: Can I download photos from Google Photos that I haven’t uploaded to my Google Photos library?
A: You can only download photos that have been uploaded to your Google Photos library. If you haven’t uploaded the photos to your Google Photos library, you won’t be able to download them.
Q: Can I download photos from Google Photos to a specific location on my computer?
A: You can choose where to save your downloaded photos by selecting the desired location in the “Save as” dialog box when downloading your photos.
Q: Can I download a video from Google Photos?
A: Yes, you can download videos from Google Photos. You can download individual videos or an entire album that contains videos.
Q: How do I download photos from Google Photos on my iPad?
A: You can download photos from Google Photos on your iPad in the same way you would download photos on your phone. Open the Google Photos app, select the photo you want to download, and choose “Download” from the menu.
Conclusion
Downloading photos from Google Photos is simple and convenient, whether you’re downloading individual photos, multiple photos, or entire albums. The process is straightforward, and Google Photos offers multiple options for download formats, including original quality. Remember that downloading your photos doesn’t delete them from your Google Photos account. They will still be stored in your Google Photos library for easy access. So, if you need to download photos for personal use or sharing, you can easily do so using Google Photos.