Moving Google Photos to a different Google Account starts with one choice: share the library into the new account, or export the files and upload them again. For a full Google-to-Google move, Partner sharing is the cleanest current option. For selected photos, shared albums work faster, and Takeout covers the cases where sharing does not fit.
Move everything with Partner sharing on the web
This copies a full Google Photos library into another Google Account from the web. Partner sharing shares the old library, and the receiving account saves its own copies, so the old account keeps everything; it is not a merge.
Sign in to the old account at photos.google.com. Open Settings, and next to Sharing, choose Expand. Choose Partner sharing. Select a starting date: Off to share all photos, or Since a specific date.
Choose All photos or Photos of certain people. Choose Next. Enter or select the receiving Google Account. Choose Next, then choose Send invitation.
Sign in to the receiving account at photos.google.com. On the left, choose Updates, find the invitation, then choose View invitation and Accept. Open Settings. Next to Sharing, choose Expand, then choose Partner sharing.
Below Save to your account, choose Change settings. Choose All photos or Photos of selected people. Choose Done.
Use the Google Photos app instead
On Android, open Google Photos in the old account, tap your profile picture or initial, then go to Photos settings, Sharing, and Partner sharing. Choose a starting date with All time or Since specific date, choose what to share, then tap Select partner and Confirm.
On iPhone or iPad, open Google Photos in the old account, tap your profile picture or initial, then go to Photos settings, Sharing, and Partner sharing. Enter or select the receiving account, choose All photos, Photos of specific people, or Only show photos since this day, then tap Next and Send invitation.
In the receiving account, open Google Photos, go to Updates, choose View invitation, and tap Accept. Then open the app settings, go to Sharing, choose Partner sharing, and save All photos to the receiving account.
If Partner sharing fails, export the old account with Google Takeout and upload the files into the receiving account.
Check what Partner sharing moves
Partner sharing works with one partner at a time, and the invited person needs a Google Account. It fits a full-library transfer when you control both accounts or can sign in to the account receiving the invitation.
You can share all photos, photos from a specific date, or photos involving selected people through Partner sharing. Face and person filtering is not available in every country or region.
On Android, Partner sharing can include content from other Android apps when you select that option. The receiving account still has to use Save to your account so the shared photos become part of its own Google Photos library.
Copy selected photos with a shared conversation
Use this for certain photos, videos, or albums instead of the whole library. Send in Photos creates a shared conversation rather than a shared album.
- 1.In the old account, open Google Photos and select the photos or videos you want to move.
- 2.Tap Share, then choose the receiving account under Send in Photos, or use Search to enter a name, phone number, or email address.
- 3.Tap Send to share the items.
- 4.In the receiving account, open the shared conversation or album.
- 5.Below each photo or video, tap Save.
Recover shared photos that are missing
The most common cause is that the photos were shared but never saved into the receiving account. Open the shared conversation or album while signed in to the receiving Google Account. Then use Save below each photo or video you want to keep.
Shared conversations work for smaller transfers, not a full library migration. Conversations have a 20,000 photo limit, and saved shared items count toward the receiving account's storage quota except in Partner sharing cases Google excludes.
Export everything with Google Takeout
Takeout gives you a downloadable copy when sharing is not enough, you want a local copy, or you need to move files through a computer.
- 1.Sign in to the old Google Account and open Google Takeout.
- 2.Uncheck products you do not want, then keep or select Google Photos.
- 3.Use All data included to narrow the export by album.
- 4.Choose Next step, then pick Send download link via email, Add to Drive, Add to Dropbox, Add to OneDrive, or Add to Box.
- 5.For email or Drive, choose Create export. For Dropbox, OneDrive, or Box, choose Link accounts and create an export and finish the provider's authorization. Then download and extract the archive when it is ready.
- 6.Sign in to the receiving account at photos.google.com, choose Create and add photos, then Import photos, select the files, and choose Open.
Upload files from your computer
Sign in to the receiving Google Account at photos.google.com. Choose Create and add photos. Under Add photos, select Import photos. Select the photos and videos on your computer, then choose Open.
For folder backup in Chrome or Edge, choose Create and add photos, then Back up folders. Select the folders. Choose Allow or Allow on every visit. Keep the Google Photos tab open while browser folder backup runs, or use the Photos Web App for background backup.
Downloaded file timestamps can be assigned by your operating system, while the photo and video metadata remains in the file details.
Use Drive as a manual import source
This method applies when the photos and videos are already in the receiving account's Google Drive. It does not create an automatic Google Photos-to-Google Photos transfer.
Put the photos and videos in the receiving account's Google Drive. In the receiving account, go to photos.google.com. Choose Add, then choose Google Drive. Select the photos, then choose Upload.
Each photo must be larger than 256 pixels and use a supported type such as .jpg, .heic, .png, .webp, .gif, or most RAW files. For work or school accounts, Google says users have to download from Drive and re-upload to Google Photos.
Skip old Drive sync advice
This clears up older tutorials that say Google Drive can automatically bridge Google Photos between accounts. Do not rely on the old Google Photos folder in Drive for a current transfer. Automatic syncing between Google Photos and Google Drive ended starting July 10, 2019.
Drive for desktop is also no longer a current Google Photos backup bridge, because Google says Drive for desktop ends support for Google Photos backup on August 10, 2026. Use Partner sharing, shared albums, Google Takeout, or Google Photos web upload/import instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I merge two Google Photos accounts into one?
Google Photos does not have a single account-merge button. Use Partner sharing and save all photos, or export from the old account and upload into the new one.
Will Partner sharing transfer everything automatically?
Partner sharing shares the old library with the receiving account. To make the photos part of the receiving library, open Partner sharing in the receiving account and save all photos to that account.
Can I transfer only some Google Photos to another account?
Yes. Share selected photos, videos, or an album with the receiving account, then open the shared conversation or album in that account and save the items.
Does Google Takeout move photos directly into another Google Photos account?
No. Takeout creates an export from the old account. After downloading and extracting it, upload or import the photo and video files into the receiving Google Photos account.
Can I use Google Drive to sync Google Photos to another account?
No. Google Photos and Google Drive stopped syncing automatically starting July 10, 2019. Use Partner sharing, shared albums, Takeout, or manual upload/import.