{"id":"cloud-accounts.how-do-i-get-my-photos-out-of-google-photos","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/how-do-i-get-my-photos-out-of-google-photos","category":{"id":"cloud-accounts","title":"Cloud accounts"},"subcategory":{"id":"google-photos","title":"Google Photos"},"question":"How do I move my Google Photos library to an external drive?","alt_questions":["Export Google Photos to an external SSD","Google Takeout photos to external drive","Back up Google Photos locally","Get photos out of Google Photos with Storage Studio","Google Photos to hard drive Mac","How do I get all my Google Photos onto my Mac or an external drive?","download google photos to mac","google takeout photos mac","export google photos library","move google photos to external drive","save google photos locally"],"short_answer":"Use Google Takeout: select Google Photos, export, and download the archives — in batches if your Mac is short on space — then move them to your external drive. Google Photos can't be connected as an account right now.","answer_markdown":"Use Google Takeout, then put the download on your drive. Google Photos can't be added as an account right now, so Takeout is the reliable route.\n\n1. Go to [Google Takeout](https://takeout.google.com/) and select only **Google Photos**.\n2. Choose the archive size and format, and start the export. Google emails you when it's ready.\n3. Download the archives. If your Mac is short on space, download in batches and move each one to your external drive as you go.\n4. Unpack them on the external drive, or keep the archives as they are.\n\nIf you downloaded to your Mac first, you can move the folder to your external drive with Storage Studio to get the space back — see [moving folders](/faq/moving-folders/).","answer_html":"

Use Google Takeout, then put the download on your drive. Google Photos can't be added as an account right now, so Takeout is the reliable route.

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  1. Go to Google Takeout and select only Google Photos.
  2. Choose the archive size and format, and start the export. Google emails you when it's ready.
  3. Download the archives. If your Mac is short on space, download in batches and move each one to your external drive as you go.
  4. Unpack them on the external drive, or keep the archives as they are.
\n

If you downloaded to your Mac first, you can move the folder to your external drive with Storage Studio to get the space back — see moving folders.

","answer_text":"Use Google Takeout, then put the download on your drive. Google Photos can't be added as an account right now, so Takeout is the reliable route.\n\n1. Go to Google Takeout and select only Google Photos.\n2. Choose the archive size and format, and start the export. Google emails you when it's ready.\n3. Download the archives. If your Mac is short on space, download in batches and move each one to your external drive as you go.\n4. Unpack them on the external drive, or keep the archives as they are.\n\nIf you downloaded to your Mac first, you can move the folder to your external drive with Storage Studio to get the space back — see moving folders.","tags":["google photos","takeout","external drive","export"],"related":[{"id":"cloud-accounts.can-i-add-google-photos-to-storage-studio","question":"Can I add my Google Photos account to Storage Studio?","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/can-i-add-google-photos-to-storage-studio"},{"id":"cloud-accounts.google-photos-is-listed-but-wont-work","question":"Google Photos appears in the Add Account list, so why doesn't it work?","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/google-photos-is-listed-but-wont-work"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I move my Google Photos library to an external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Use Google Takeout: select Google Photos, export, and download the archives — in batches if your Mac is short on space — then move them to your external drive. Google Photos can't be connected as an account right now.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Cloud accounts","path":"/faq/cloud-accounts/"},{"name":"How do I move my Google Photos library to an external drive?","path":"/faq/cloud-accounts/how-do-i-get-my-photos-out-of-google-photos"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/how-do-i-get-my-photos-out-of-google-photos","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I move my Google Photos library to an external drive?","alternateName":["Export Google Photos to an external SSD","Google Takeout photos to external drive","Back up Google Photos locally","Get photos out of Google Photos with Storage Studio","Google Photos to hard drive Mac","How do I get all my Google Photos onto my Mac or an external drive?","download google photos to mac","google takeout photos mac","export google photos library","move google photos to external drive","save google photos locally"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Use Google Takeout, then put the download on your drive. Google Photos can't be added as an account right now, so Takeout is the reliable route.\n\n1. Go to Google Takeout and select only Google Photos.\n2. Choose the archive size and format, and start the export. Google emails you when it's ready.\n3. Download the archives. If your Mac is short on space, download in batches and move each one to your external drive as you go.\n4. Unpack them on the external drive, or keep the archives as they are.\n\nIf you downloaded to your Mac first, you can move the folder to your external drive with Storage Studio to get the space back — see moving folders.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/how-do-i-get-my-photos-out-of-google-photos"}}]},"fragment":"
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Cloud accounts · Google Photos

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How do I move my Google Photos library to an external drive?

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Short answer: Use Google Takeout: select Google Photos, export, and download the archives — in batches if your Mac is short on space — then move them to your external drive. Google Photos can't be connected as an account right now.

\n

Use Google Takeout, then put the download on your drive. Google Photos can't be added as an account right now, so Takeout is the reliable route.

\n
  1. Go to Google Takeout and select only Google Photos.
  2. Choose the archive size and format, and start the export. Google emails you when it's ready.
  3. Download the archives. If your Mac is short on space, download in batches and move each one to your external drive as you go.
  4. Unpack them on the external drive, or keep the archives as they are.
\n

If you downloaded to your Mac first, you can move the folder to your external drive with Storage Studio to get the space back — see moving folders.

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