How to Transfer Google Photos to Another Account [2025]
If you're planning to switch accounts or share your photo library, you might be asking how to transfer Google Photos to another account. Whether it’s for storage management or organizing memories, this guide covers simple methods to move your photos safely and easily, without losing image quality or important details.
Can I Transfer Google Photos from One Account to Another?
Hey, does anyone know if it’s possible to transfer Google Photos from one account to another? I’m moving to a new Gmail and would like to keep all my photos without starting from scratch. Is there a simple way to do it, or is downloading and uploading the only option? Would appreciate any advice!
- Question from Reddit
Yes, but not directly. Google Photos doesn’t offer a built-in "transfer all" button between accounts. Google does this mainly to protect user privacy and prevent unauthorized mass data movement between accounts. Even if both accounts belong to you, Google still requires manual actions or sharing mechanisms to verify intent. That’s why you need to use workarounds like:
➤ Google Takeout – This exports your photos in bulk, letting you manually upload them to your new account. It gives you full control but takes time.
➤ Album or Library Sharing – You can share albums or even your whole library with another account, then "Save to Library" from the second account. This works well if you want to maintain albums or specific groupings.
➤ Partner Sharing – Lets you automatically share photos with another account. It's great for continuous sharing, but you still need to save items on the second account to make the transfer permanent.
➤ Cloud-to-Cloud Services – These automate the process. They're useful if you're transferring thousands of photos and don’t want to manually download and re-upload.
Let’s go through these ways to move Google Photos from one account to another.
1. How to Transfer Photos from One Google Drive to Another via Google Takeout
Google Takeout provides a reliable way to shift Google Photos from one account to another by exporting your entire photo library or selected folders in bulk. This method gives you full control over the process and preserves original photo quality and metadata without compression. It is ideal for users who permanently switch accounts or want to back up all pictures. The process takes time because you must wait for the export to complete, then manually download and upload the files.
You need enough local storage to save the export and sufficient space in the destination account to upload photos. Note that albums and organization might not transfer perfectly, so rearranging photos may be necessary. Overall, Google Takeout suits those who want a complete, high-quality transfer and don’t mind manual steps.
💡 Here’s a simple step-by-step tutorial on how to transfer all Google Photos to another account using this method:
Step 1. Visit Google Takeout and sign in with your current Google account.
Step 2. Click Deselect all, then scroll down and check only Google Photos. Click Next step.
Step 3. Choose your delivery method (e.g., download link via email), export frequency (one-time), and file type/size, then click Create export.
Step 4. Wait for the export process to complete—you’ll get an email with a download link. Download the exported photos to your device.
Step 5. Sign in to your new Google account, open Google Photos, and upload the downloaded photos to complete the transfer.
2. How to Move Photos from One Google Account to Another by Sharing Albums
When you want to transfer photos from one Google account to another without downloading or uploading large files, you can simply share albums between the two accounts. This method preserves original photo quality and metadata, keeping your memories intact. It works best when you need to transfer specific events or collections instead of an entire photo library. However, you must share each album individually, which can become time-consuming if you have many photos.
Also, shared albums do not automatically appear in the recipient’s library—you must save them manually to keep permanent access. Overall, sharing albums suits users who want to transfer select photos quickly and without complex steps, but is less practical for bulk transfers.
💡 Here’s how to transfer Google Photos from one account to another by sharing albums in just a few simple steps:
Step 1. Open Google Photos on your original account at photos.google.com and sign in.
Step 2. Select an album you want to transfer, or create a new one by selecting photos and clicking the "+" icon > Album.
Step 3. In the album, click the Share icon (a square with an arrow), then enter your second Google account’s email address and send the invitation.
Step 4. Sign in to your second Google account, open the email or shared link, and click Open to view the shared album.
Step 5. At the top of the album, click "Save to library" to copy all photos to your second account permanently.
3. How to Move Google Photos to Another Account Using Partner Sharing
Partner Sharing is a built-in Google Photos feature that allows you to automatically share your entire photo library or photos of specific people with another Google account. This option is especially helpful if you want continuous access to your photos from a second account or if you're setting up a shared library with a family member.
One of the key benefits of Partner Sharing is its automation—it syncs new photos as you add them, so you don’t need to manually move files each time. However, this method doesn’t automatically move the photos into the second account’s library. You still need to manually save the shared photos from the recipient account to complete the transfer. Despite these limitations, it remains a convenient option if you want to transfer photos from one Gmail account to another.
💡 Follow the steps below to set up the Partner Sharing feature and transfer Google Photos to another Gmail account:
Step 1. Sign in to your original Google Photos account at photos.google.com, click the gear icon in the top right to open Settings.
Step 2. Scroll down and click Partner Sharing, then click Get Started.
Step 3. Enter the Gmail address of the account you want to transfer photos to and click Next.
Step 4. Choose whether to share your entire photo library or only photos of specific people, then click Next and confirm the sharing.
Step 5. Sign in to the second Gmail account, open Google Photos, accept the Partner Sharing invitation, and click Save to library to copy the shared photos permanently.
4. How to Move Photos from Google Photos to Another Google Drive with a Third-Party Tool
If you want a faster and more convenient solution for Google Photos transfer to another account, especially without manually downloading and uploading files, MultCloud is a great option to consider. This cloud-based service allows you to link multiple cloud accounts—like Google Photos and Google Drive—and transfer files directly between them.
MultCloud simplifies the entire process by offering features like scheduled transfers, automatic syncing, and support for large photo collections. It also preserves the original file structure and quality during the transfer, making it ideal for users who need to move a large number of photos or manage data across multiple Google accounts. Whether you're switching accounts or organizing personal and work libraries, MultCloud makes the transfer seamless and efficient.
💡 To move photos from Google Photos to another Google Drive account with MultCloud, you can follow these steps:
Step 1. Go to MultCloud.com and create a free account, then log in.
Step 2. Click "Add Cloud", select Google Photos, and follow the prompts to connect your first account. Repeat the process to add Google Drive (the target account).
Step 3. Once both accounts are added, go to the "Cloud Transfer" tab in the sidebar.
Step 4. Under "From," choose the Google Photos folder or specific albums you want to move. Under "To," select the destination folder in your Google Drive account.
Step 5. Click "Transfer Now" to start the migration. You can also schedule the transfer or enable email notifications if needed.
Bonus Tip: Increase Google Drive Storage and Manage Photos Across Accounts
If you find yourself running out of Google Drive storage while transferring or managing photos across multiple accounts, tools like CBackup can help you increase your cloud space effortlessly. CBackup offers a smart cloud backup and management service that allows you to combine storage from multiple Google Drive accounts into one larger virtual drive. This way, you can effectively expand your available storage without paying for extra space.
Besides expanding storage, CBackup helps you manage and organize photos across different Google accounts in one centralized platform. You can back up, sync, and transfer photos smoothly between accounts, making it easier to keep your photos safe and organized. Whether you want to free up space or handle multiple Google accounts seamlessly, CBackup is a useful tool to consider alongside your Google Photos transfer process.
💡 Here’s a simple tutorial to increase Google Drive storage and manage photos efficiently:
Step 1. Go to CBackup’s website and create a free account, then log in.
Step 2. Click "Storage" and select Google Drive to add your first Google Drive account by following the authorization prompts. Repeat to add additional Google Drive accounts.
Step 3. After linking all your accounts, go to the "Storage" tab again and click "+ Add Combined Cloud".
Step 4. Select the Google Drive accounts you want to merge and set the combined storage name, then click "Next" and "Combine".
Step 5. Once combined, you can use the unified virtual drive to back up, sync, or transfer photos between your accounts easily.
Final Thoughts
In this post, we covered several effective methods on how to transfer Google Photos to another account, including using Google Takeout, sharing albums, Partner Sharing, and third-party tools like MultCloud. Each method offers unique benefits depending on your needs, whether you want a full transfer, selective sharing, or automated syncing. Additionally, we introduced CBackup as a bonus tool to increase Google Drive storage and manage photos across accounts. By choosing the right approach, you can safely and efficiently move your photos without losing quality or organization.
FAQs on Google Photos Transfer to Another Account
To help you better understand the process, here are some frequently asked questions about Google Photos transfer to another account. These answers cover common concerns and provide additional tips to make your transfer smoother and more secure.
1. How to Transfer Photos from One Gmail Account to Another?
Transferring photos from one Gmail account to another is a common task when switching accounts or consolidating your data. The easiest way to do this is by using Google Takeout to export your photos and then uploading them to the new account. Here’s a clear, step-by-step tutorial:
- 1. Go to Google Takeout and sign in with your original Gmail account.
- 2. Deselect all products, then scroll down and select Google Photos only. Click Next step.
- 3. Choose your preferred delivery method (e.g., download link via email), export frequency (one-time), and file type/size, then click Create export.
- 4. Wait for the export to complete, then download the photo archive to your computer.
- 5. Sign in to your new Gmail account, open Google Photos, and upload the downloaded photos.
2. How Can I Transfer Ownership of a Google Photos Album?
Transferring ownership of a Google Photos album lets you give full control of that album to another user, which is useful for collaboration or handing over photo management. While Google Photos doesn’t allow direct ownership transfer of albums, you can share the album and let the other person save it to their library to effectively "transfer" control. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
- 1. Open Google Photos and sign in to your account.
- 2. Select the album you want to transfer.
- 3. Click the Share icon and enter the email address of the person you want to transfer the album to. Send the invitation.
- 4. Ask the recipient to open the shared album, then click Add to Library to save the album to their account.
- 5. Once they save it, you can remove your access if desired, effectively completing the transfer.
3. How to Move Photos Between Google Accounts?
Moving photos between Google accounts is helpful when switching to a new Gmail, organizing personal and work libraries, or sharing access across family accounts. Since Google doesn’t support a one-click transfer, you can use Google Takeout to move your photos manually. This method ensures full control and keeps your photo quality intact:
- 1. Go to Google Takeout and sign in with your current Google account.
- 2. Click Deselect all, then scroll down and check Google Photos. Click Next step.
- 3. Choose Send download link via email, set Export once, and select a file type and size. Click Create export.
- 4. When the export is ready, download the archive to your computer.
- 5. Sign in to your second Google account, go to Google Photos, and upload the downloaded photos.
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