How to Migrate Your Photos from Google Photos to SmugMug
Learn how to transfer your photo library from Google Photos to SmugMug using Google Takeout to download your content in bulk.
There is currently no direct or automatic way to migrate content from Google Photos to SmugMug. The two platforms don't offer a built-in transfer tool, and no official integration exists between them.
However, you can move your entire photo library manually using Google Takeout — Google's free data export service. Takeout lets you download all your Google Photos content at once, which you can then upload to SmugMug.
What is Google Takeout?
Google Takeout is a free tool provided by Google that lets you export and download data from Google products, including Google Photos. It packages your photos and videos into downloadable ZIP files that you can save to your computer.
Google Takeout preserves original file quality. Your exported photos and videos will be in the same resolution and format as when they were uploaded to Google Photos.
Export your photos from Google Takeout
- Go to Google Takeout and sign in with your Google account
- Click Deselect all at the top to clear all pre-selected Google services
- Scroll down and check only Google Photos
- If you want to export specific albums rather than everything, click All photo albums included and select only the albums you need
- Scroll to the bottom and click Next step
Choose your export settings
On the next screen, configure your export:
- Delivery method — Choose Send download link via email (recommended). Other options include adding to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box
- Frequency — Select Export once
- File type — Keep the default
.zipformat - File size — Choose 2 GB or 4 GB. Larger sizes mean fewer files to download, but if your connection is unreliable, smaller sizes are safer since a failed download only affects one part
Click Create export to begin.
Large libraries can take hours or even days to prepare. Google will email you when the download links are ready. Links remain active for one week.
Download and extract your files
- When you receive Google's email, click the Download button for each file
- Save all ZIP files to a dedicated folder on your computer
- Extract (unzip) all the files. On Mac, double-click each ZIP. On Windows, right-click and select Extract All
- Your photos will be organized in folders matching your Google Photos albums
Google Takeout exports include .json metadata files alongside your photos. These contain information like descriptions and timestamps. SmugMug won't use these files — you only need the actual image and video files (.jpg, .png, .mp4, etc.).
Upload to SmugMug
Once your photos are extracted and on your computer, you can upload them to SmugMug:
Using the SmugMug website
- Log in to your SmugMug account
- Click the Upload button in the top navigation
- Create a new gallery or select an existing one
- Drag and drop your photos into the upload area, or click Browse to select files
- Repeat for each album or folder you want to upload
Using the SmugMug mobile app
- Open the SmugMug app on your phone or tablet
- Tap the + button to create a new gallery or navigate to an existing one
- Tap Upload and select photos from your device
- This method works well for smaller batches
For large libraries, uploading via the website on a desktop computer with a stable internet connection is recommended. The SmugMug uploader supports bulk uploads and will resume if interrupted.
Tips for a smooth migration
- Check your Google storage before exporting. Go to Google Storage to see how much space your photos use — this tells you how much disk space you'll need for the download
- Free up local disk space before downloading. You'll need enough room for both the ZIP files and the extracted content
- Organize before uploading — Take the opportunity to sort your photos into folders that match how you want your SmugMug galleries structured
- Upload in batches rather than everything at once. This makes it easier to verify each batch uploaded correctly
- Keep your Google Photos account active until you've confirmed all content is safely on SmugMug