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The Google Photos takeout case

This project aims to make the process of importing Google Photos takeouts as easy and accurate as possible. But keep in mind that Google takeout structure is complex and not documented. Some information may be missed or may even be wrong.

Folders in takeout

  • The Year folder contains all images taken that year
  • Albums are in separate folders named as the album
    • A json file contains the album title
    • The title can be empty
    • The JSON is named in the user's language : metadata.json métadonnées.json, metadatos.json, metadades.json ...
    • Contains all of an album's images, most of the time
    • Images are also in the year folders if you have them.
  • The trash folder is names in the user's language Trash, Corbeille..
    • Hopefully, the JSON has a Trashed field.
  • The "Failed Videos" contains unreadable videos
  • Untitled albums are named in the user's language and a number: Untitled, Sin título, Sans Titre

Images have a JSON companion file

  • the JSON contains some information on the image
    • The title has the original image name (as uploaded into GP server, that can be totally different of the image name in the archive)
    • the date of capture (epoch)
    • the GPS coordinates
  • Trashed flag
  • Partner flag
  • But not all images have a JSON companion

The JSON file and the image name matches with some weird rules

The name length of the image can be shorter by 1 char compared to the name of the JSON.

2+ different images having the same name taken the same year are placed into the same folder with a number

  • IMG_3479.JPG
  • IMG_3479(1).JPG
  • IMG_3479(2).JPG

In that case, the JSONs are named:

  • IMG_3479.JPG.json
  • IMG_3479.JPG(1).json
  • IMG_3479.JPG(2).json

Edited images may not have corresponding JSON.

two images

  • PXL_20220405_090123740.PORTRAIT.jpg
  • PXL_20220405_090123740.PORTRAIT-modifié.jpg

but one JSON

  • PXL_20220405_090123740.PORTRAIT.jpg.json

Note that "edited" name is localized.

Images are duplicated with no apparent logic

Example from the #380

~$ for f in *.zip; do echo "$f: "; unzip -l $f | grep 130917ad28385b5a; done
takeout-20240712T112341Z-001.zip:
   167551  2024-07-12 13:38   Takeout/Google Foto/1 anno fa/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg
      808  2024-07-12 13:38   Takeout/Google Foto/1 anno fa/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg.json
takeout-20240712T112341Z-002.zip:
takeout-20240712T112341Z-003.zip:
      808  2024-07-12 13:52   Takeout/Google Foto/Photos from 2022/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg.json
takeout-20240712T112341Z-004.zip:
   167551  2024-07-12 13:45   Takeout/Google Foto/Photos from 2022/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg
takeout-20240712T112341Z-005.zip:
takeout-20240712T112341Z-006.zip:
takeout-20240712T112341Z-007.zip:
takeout-20240712T112341Z-008.zip:
takeout-20240712T112341Z-009.zip:
      808  2024-07-12 14:33   Takeout/Google Foto/Amsterdam 2022/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg.json
   167551  2024-07-12 14:33   Takeout/Google Foto/Amsterdam 2022/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg
      808  2024-07-12 14:35   Takeout/Google Foto/1 anno fa/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg.json
takeout-20240712T112341Z-010.zip:
   167551  2024-07-12 14:35   Takeout/Google Foto/1 anno fa/130917ad28385b5a-photo.jpg

Some key file names are spelled in the user language

Language Google Photos folder Album's metadata Edited photo name
US English Google Photos metadata.json
French Google Photos métadonnées.json *-modifié.*
Italian Google Foto metadati.json *-modificato.*
Slovak Fotky Google metadáta.json
German Google Fotos Metadaten.json *-bearbeitet.*
Russian Google Фото метаданные.json

What if I have problems with a takeout archive?

Please open an issue with details. You can share your files using Discord DM @simulot. I'll check if I can improve the program. Sometimes a manual import is the best option.