Google is shutting down Album Archive – here’s how to back up your photos

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If you’ve been using Google Hangouts regularly, or any of Google’s other now-defunct messaging apps in favor of Google Chat, I have some bad news: Google is shutting down Album Archive, a gallery of images or videos shared on old Google services over the years. . So now is the time to back up your stuff if you haven’t already.

This week, Google sent users an email warning them that “some content available only in the Album Archive will be deleted starting July 19.” This includes some Google Hangouts data currently stored in the album archive, background images uploaded to Gmail’s theme chooser prior to 2018, and small thumbnail photos, album comments, and likes. A banner on the Album Archive support page states that the service will no longer be available after July 19, 2023.

Google is urging users to download a copy of their album archive data via Google Takeout. This way you can receive a download link via your email or transfer your data to one of the best cloud storage services like Google Drive, IDrive, OneDrive or Dropbox.

While the email is quite clear that some of your data stored in Album Archive will be lost forever after July 19th, the support page suggests that you may still be able to access it via other Google services even after the next month. Users can “view and manage” content beyond July 19 on other Google services like Blogger, Hangouts (now Chat), Google Photos, and their default Google account, the support page reads. If you go the email route, just know that the Google Takeout download link is only valid for seven days.

That discrepancy between the email and the support page has understandably confused some people. Either way, following Google’s suggestion and grabbing a copy of any image or video currently stored in the album archive couldn’t hurt. At the very least it could make for a nice trip down memory lane. While you’re at it, why not check out the best photo storage and sharing sites to help you keep track of everything? And if you’re an avid smartphone videographer shooting on one of the best camera phones, we also have a list of the best photo organization apps so you can ditch the endless scrolling of your camera roll.

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