Need to move your precious memories from Google Drive to Google Photos? You're not alone. Many users struggle with transferring their photo collections between these two Google services. The good news is that there are several methods to get this done efficiently.

In this guide, I'll walk you through six practical ways to move photos from Google Drive to Google Photos. Whether you have a few images or thousands of memories to transfer, you'll find a method that works for your specific needs.

Why Move Photos from Drive to Photos?

Before diving into the methods, let's quickly understand why you might want to make this transfer:

• Google Photos offers better photo organization and search capabilities
• Face recognition and automatic album creation in Google Photos
• Better viewing experience specifically designed for images
• Free up storage space in your Google Drive
• Access to Google Photos' editing tools

Method 1: Manual Download and Upload

The most straightforward approach is to manually download photos from Google Drive and then upload them to Google Photos.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Access Google Drive: Go to drive.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Select your photos: Find the photos you want to transfer. You can select multiple photos by holding Ctrl (or Command on Mac) while clicking each photo.
3. Download the photos: Right-click on the selected photos and choose “Download.” This will save the photos as a zip file to your computer.
4. Extract the zip file: Locate the downloaded zip file on your computer and extract its contents.
5. Access Google Photos: Go to photos.google.com and sign in with the same Google account.
6. Upload the photos: Click on the “Upload” button in the top-right corner and select “Computer.”
7. Select the extracted photos: Browse to the folder where you extracted the photos and select them all.
8. Complete the upload: Click “Open” or “Upload” to start transferring the photos to Google Photos.

Pros of Manual Method:

• Works for any number of photos
• No need for additional tools or settings
• Gives you complete control over which photos to transfer

Cons of Manual Method:

• Time-consuming for large collections
• Requires sufficient local storage space for the download
• May use extra internet bandwidth for downloading and uploading

Method 2: Using Google Takeout

Google Takeout is Google's official data export service that allows you to download your data from various Google services, including Google Drive.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Access Google Takeout: Go to takeout.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Deselect all services: Click "Deselect all" at the top of the page.
3. Select Google Drive: Scroll down to find “Drive” and check the box next to it.
4. Customize Drive export: Click on the “All Drive data included” button to customize what you want to export.
5. Select specific folders: Choose only the folders containing photos you want to transfer.
6. Configure export settings: Click “Next step” and choose your preferred delivery method, file type, and size.
7. Create export: Click "Create export" and wait for Google to prepare your download.
8. Download your files: Once ready, download the export file to your computer.
9. Extract the files: Unzip the downloaded file to access your photos.
10. Upload to Google Photos: Go to photos.google.com, click “Upload,” and select the extracted photos.

Pros of Google Takeout Method:

• Official Google service for data export
• Can handle large volumes of photos
• Preserves original file structure

Cons of Google Takeout Method:

• Export preparation can take hours or even days
• Still requires manual upload to Google Photos
• Limited customization for photo selection

Method 3: Using the Desktop Backup and Sync Tool

Google's Backup and Sync desktop application (now replaced by Google Drive for desktop) can help streamline the process.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Download Google Drive for desktop: If you don't already have it, download and install Google Drive for desktop from Google's website.
2. Sign in: Launch the application and sign in with your Google account.
3. Configure sync settings: Click on the gear icon and select “Preferences.”
4. Select Google Drive folders: Under the “Google Drive” tab, choose “Stream files” or “Mirror files” based on your preference.
5. Sync specific folders: Click “Choose folders containing” and select only the folders photos you want to transfer.
6. Apply settings: Click "Save" to apply your settings.
7. Wait for sync: Allow the application to sync your selected Google Drive folders to your computer.
8. Access the local files: Once synced, locate the downloaded photos on your computer.
9. Upload to Google Photos: Go to photos.google.com, click “Upload,” and select the synced photos from your computer.

Pros of Desktop Sync Method:

• Automates the download process
• Maintains folder organization
• Works well for large collections

Cons of Desktop Sync Method:

• Requires installing desktop software
• Still needs manual upload to Google Photos
• Uses local storage space

Method 4: Using the Mobile App

If you prefer using your smartphone, you can transfer photos using the Google Drive and Google Photos mobile apps.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Open Google Drive app: Launch the Google Drive app on your smartphone.
2. Find your photos: Navigate to the folder containing the photos you want to transfer.
3. Select photos: Long-press on a photo to select it, then tap additional photos to select multiple.
4. Download to device: Tap the three-dot menu and select “Download.”
5. Open Google Photos app: Once downloaded, open the Google Photos app.
6. Enable auto-backup: Make sure auto-backup is enabled in Google Photos settings.
7. Wait for backup: Google Photos should automatically detect and upload the downloaded photos.
8. Verify upload: Check your Google Photos library to confirm the photos have been transferred.

Alternative Mobile Method:

1. Open Google Drive app: Launch the Google Drive app on your smartphone.
2. Select photos: Find and select the photos you want to transfer.
3. Share to Google Photos: Tap the share icon and select “Google Photos” from the sharing options.
4. Confirm upload: Follow the prompts to complete the upload to Google Photos.

Pros of Mobile App Method:

• Convenient if you primarily use mobile devices
• No need for a computer
• Direct sharing between apps possible

Cons of Mobile App Method:

• Limited by mobile device storage
• Can be slow for large collections
• May consume mobile data if not on Wi-Fi

Method 5: Using Google Drive Web Interface's "Save to Photos" Feature

Google Drive offers a direct way to save images to Google Photos through its web interface.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Access Google Drive: Go to drive.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
2. Locate your photos: Navigate to the folder containing the photos you want to transfer.
3. Select a photo: Click on a photo to preview it.
4. Use “Save to Photos”: In the preview mode, click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
5. Select "Save to Photos": Click this option to transfer the photo directly to Google Photos.
6. Repeat for each photo: Unfortunately, this method requires processing one photo at a time.
7. Verify in Google Photos: Go to photos.google.com to confirm the transfer was successful.

Pros of "Save to Photos" Method:

• Direct transfer without downloading
• Official Google feature
• No additional tools required

Cons of "Save to Photos" Method:

• Works one photo at a time
• Time-consuming for multiple photos
• Not suitable for bulk transfers

Method 6: Using Third-Party Tools

Several third-party tools and services can help automate the transfer process between Google Drive and Google Photos.

Using PicBackMan:

1. Sign up for PicBackMan: Visit picbackman.com and create a free account.
2. Download and install the app: Install PicBackMan on your computer (Windows or Mac).
3. Login to your account: Open the app and sign in with the credentials you created.
4. Add your Google Drive account: From the “Accounts” tab, connect your Google Drive where your photos are stored.
5. Add your Google Photos account: Connect your Google Photos account as the destination.
6. Select folders to migrate: Choose the specific Google Drive folders that contain your photos and videos.
7. Configure upload settings: Set your preferences such as upload quality, duplicate handling, and scheduling.
8. Start the migration: Click “Migrate” (or “Upload”) to begin transferring your photos from Google Drive to Google Photos.
9. Track progress: Monitor the transfer in real-time within the app and check your Google Photos once completed.

Using Autosync for Google Drive:

This Android app can help automate the process on mobile devices:

1. Install Autosync: Download and install "Autosync for Google Drive" from the Play Store.
2. Set up accounts: Connect both your Google Drive and device storage.
3. Create a sync pair: Set up a new sync pair with Google Drive as the source.
4. Configure sync settings: Choose one-way sync from Drive to your device.
5. Select folders: Specify which Drive folders containing photos to sync.
6. Start syncing: Run the sync to download photos to your device.
7. Use Google Photos app: Open Google Photos, which will detect and upload the new photos.

Comparison of Third-Party Tools:

Tool	Platforms	Free Tier Available	Bulk Transfer	Automation
PicBackMan	Desktop (Windows & Mac)	Yes	Yes	Yes (automatic & bulk uploads)
Autosync	Android	Yes (with ads)	Yes	Yes
rclone	Windows, Mac, Linux	Yes (open source)	Yes	Yes (command line)
odrive	Windows, Mac	Yes (with limitations)	Yes	Yes

Pros of Third-Party Tools:

• Automation of the entire process
• Batch processing capabilities
• Scheduling options
• Cross-platform support

Cons of Third-Party Tools:

• Potential privacy concerns with third-party access
• May require paid subscriptions for full functionality
• Learning curve for some tools
• Reliability depends on the specific service

Important Considerations When Transferring Photos

Storage Space and Quality Settings

Before transferring photos, consider these storage-related factors:

• Storage limits: Google Photos no longer offers unlimited storage. Transfers will count against your Google account storage quota.
• Quality options: Google Photos offers “Storage saver” (reduced quality) and “Original quality” options. Choose based on your storage needs.
• Duplicate photos: Be aware that transferring may create duplicates if the photos already exist in Google Photos.

Metadata Preservation

Photo metadata includes important information such as:

• Date and time the photo was taken
• Location data (if available)
• Camera settings and model
• Custom descriptions or tags

Different transfer methods may handle metadata differently. The manual download-upload method and Google Takeout generally preserve most metadata, while some third-party tools might not.

File Formats and Compatibility

Google Photos supports most common image formats, but there are limitations:

• JPEG, PNG, WebP, and GIF are fully supported
• Some RAW formats may be supported but with limitations
• TIFF files and some specialized formats may not display correctly

Check your file formats before transferring to ensure compatibility with Google Photos.

Comparing All 6 Methods

Method	Ease of Use	Speed	Bulk Transfer	Metadata Preservation	Best For
Manual Download-Upload	Easy	Slow	Yes	High	Small to medium collections
Google Takeout	Medium	Very Slow	Yes	High	Large collections
Desktop Sync Tool	Medium	Medium	Yes	High	Organized collections
Mobile App	Easy	Slow	Limited	Medium	Small collections, mobile users
"Save to Photos" Feature	Very Easy	Very Slow	No	High	Individual photos
Third-Party Tools	Complex	Fast	Yes	Varies	Tech-savvy users, large collections

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Photos Not Appearing in Google Photos

If your transferred photos aren't showing up in Google Photos:

• Check your internet connection and wait for uploads to complete
• Verify you're signed in with the same Google account on both services
• Check if the photos are in a supported format
• Look in the "Library" section of Google Photos, as they might not appear in the main feed immediately
• Try refreshing the Google Photos page or app

Slow Transfer Speeds

If your transfers are taking too long:

• Check your internet connection speed
• Try transferring smaller batches of photos
• Close other bandwidth-intensive applications
• Consider using a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi
• Try during off-peak hours when Google's servers might be less busy

Error Messages During Transfer

Common error messages and solutions:

• "Storage quota exceeded": Free up Google account storage or purchase more
• "Upload failed": Check your internet connection and try again
• "File format not supported": Convert the file to a supported format
• "Access denied": Check your account permissions and sign-in status

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply download PicBackMan (it's free!) , register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Best Practices for Managing Photos After Transfer

Organizing Your Google Photos Library

After transferring your photos, take advantage of Google Photos' organization features:

• Create albums for different categories or events
• Use the search function to find specific photos by content, location, or date
• Add partners to shared albums for collaborative collections
• Use the “Favorites” feature for quick access to important photos
• Archive less important photos to declutter your main feed

Managing Duplicates

To handle duplicate photos after transfer:

• Use the “Free up space” feature in Google Photos to remove device copies
• Search for duplicates using third-party tools or manually
• Compare photos side by side to decide which to keep
• Consider keeping only the highest quality version of each photo

Backup Strategies

Even with photos in Google Photos, consider these backup strategies:

• Keep original files in Google Drive as a secondary backup
• Download important photos to local storage periodically
• Consider a third cloud storage service for critical photos
• Use Google Takeout occasionally to create full backups of your Google Photos library

Conclusion

Moving photos from Google Drive to Google Photos doesn't have to be complicated. With these six methods, you can choose the approach that best fits your needs based on the number of photos, your technical comfort level, and how much time you want to invest in the process.

For small collections or individual photos, the manual methods or “Save to Photos” feature work well. For larger collections, Google Takeout or third-party tools offer more efficient options. Mobile users might prefer the app-based approaches for convenience.

Remember to consider storage space, metadata preservation, and file compatibility when transferring your photos. After the transfer, take advantage of Google Photos' organization features to keep your photo library tidy and accessible.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you'll successfully move your precious memories from Google Drive to Google Photos, where you can better organize, edit, and share them with friends and family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will moving photos from Google Drive to Google Photos use double the storage?

Yes, if you keep the original photos in Google Drive and also upload them to Google Photos, they will count twice against your Google account storage quota. To avoid this, you can delete the originals from Drive after confirming they've been successfully transferred to Photos.

Can I automatically sync folders between Google Drive and Google Photos?

Google no longer offers native automatic syncing between Drive and Photos. The integration was discontinued in July 2019. You'll need to use third-party tools or manual methods to move photos between the services. Some third-party tools like MultCloud or Autosync can set up automated transfers with scheduling options.

Will I lose photo quality when transferring from Drive to Photos?

It depends on your Google Photos settings. If you have “Storage saver” (formerly “High quality”) selected in Google Photos settings, photos larger than 16MP will be compressed. To maintain original quality, make sure to select “Original quality” in your Google Photos settings before uploading, though this will use more storage space.

What happens to my photo albums when transferring from Drive to Photos?

Album organization from Google Drive won't automatically transfer to Google Photos. You'll nee