Download Google Photos to Windows PC — Fix Takeout Dates (2026 Guide)

The step-by-step process

1

Request Takeout

Go to takeout.google.com. Deselect all services, then select only Google Photos. Choose .zip format, max 50 GB per file. Download the parts when Google notifies you (can take 1–3 days).

2

Extract the zips

Create one folder on your chosen drive, e.g. D:\Google-Takeout-Raw\. In File Explorer, right-click each .zip and choose Extract All…, pointing every archive at that same folder.

3

Fix metadata with FolioSort

Open FolioSort and select Google Photos (Beta) in the sidebar. Set the Takeout source to D:\Google-Takeout-Raw\ and click Scan. FolioSort reads every .json sidecar and writes the real date and GPS back into EXIF. Duplicates detected automatically.

4

Choose your template

Set your destination (e.g. C:\Users\You\Pictures\Library\ or a folder on an external drive), turn on Organise into date folders and pick a template — {YYYY}/{MM} {Month}/ is popular. The live preview shows the exact structure before anything moves.

5

Run & verify

Choose Copy or Move, then click Process. FolioSort writes every file into the right year/month folder and verifies each one with a checksum. A summary shows total files, errors (if any), and duplicates skipped.

6

Delete Takeout source (optional)

Once you've confirmed the organized library looks right, you can delete the raw Takeout folder. The organized library is your master copy — ready to browse in File Explorer, Lightroom, or the Windows Photos app.

Where to store your library on Windows

The right drive choice depends on your library size and how you'll access it.

💿

C: Internal SSD

Fastest access — e.g. C:\Users\You\Pictures. Limited space. Best for active libraries under 500 GB.

🔌

External USB SSD

Fast, portable, affordable. 2 TB under €100. Great for most personal libraries — shows up as D: or E:.

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External HDD

Cheapest per GB. 8 TB under €150. Perfect for large archives. Slower, not portable.

🖥️

NAS Drive (SMB)

Network-accessible from every device at home. FolioSort can write directly to an SMB share or mapped network drive.

☁️

OneDrive Folder

Syncs across your PCs and phone. FolioSort can organize straight into your local OneDrive folder and let Windows sync it up.

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RAID / DAS Array

Redundant storage for large professional libraries. FolioSort works with any drive Windows can mount.

What you end up with

A File Explorer-browsable, EXIF-sorted, GPS-tagged photo library that no app or service controls.

Clean Folder Structure

2024\01 January\, 2024\02 February\ — every photo in the right month. Browsable in File Explorer on any PC without any app, viewable on any OS, importable into any photo manager.

Correct Dates — Always

EXIF DateTimeOriginal is set correctly in every file. Open your library in Lightroom or the Windows Photos app and the timeline is perfect — because the data lives in the file, not on Google's servers.

GPS in Every Tagged Photo

Every photo that had a location in Google Photos gets its GPS coordinates restored in EXIF. Works with Lightroom's Map view and any GPS-aware app on Windows.

Checksum Verified

Every file FolioSort creates in the destination is verified by checksum against the source. Any corruption is caught immediately — you never have to trust an unverified photo archive.

FolioSort preview pane showing the resulting local photo library organized into Year and Month folders, ready to browse in Windows File Explorer

Your finished library: a File Explorer-browsable Year/Month tree — no app or account required to open it.

Frequently asked questions

Downloading Google Photos to a Windows PC, answered.

How do I download my whole Google Photos library to my PC?

Export your library with Google Takeout (takeout.google.com), right-click each .zip in File Explorer and choose Extract All… into one folder, then run FolioSort to restore the real dates and GPS from the JSON sidecars and organize everything into clean Year/Month folders on your PC or an external drive.

Why do my downloaded Google Photos all show today's date on Windows?

Takeout keeps the real capture date in separate .json sidecar files instead of the photo's EXIF. When Windows extracts the zip, it stamps every file with today's date — so File Explorer sorts your whole archive as if it was shot this morning. FolioSort reads those sidecars and writes the correct DateTimeOriginal back into each file permanently.

Is FolioSort free on Windows?

Yes. FolioSort is free to download on Windows and the free tier processes up to 100 files per operation, so you can test the full workflow. Pro (€14.99, one-time — no subscription) removes the limit, and one license covers both Mac and Windows.

Does FolioSort upload my photos anywhere?

No. FolioSort runs 100% locally on your PC. Your photos and metadata never leave your computer — nothing is uploaded to any server or cloud.

Can I use an external drive or NAS instead of my C: drive?

Yes. Set the destination to any drive Windows can see — an external SSD, USB HDD, a mapped network drive, or an SMB NAS share. FolioSort writes directly to your chosen drive, so a large library never has to touch your C: drive.

Which Windows versions does FolioSort support?

FolioSort runs on Windows 10 (version 1809 or later) and Windows 11. It is also available for macOS 14+, and one Pro license covers both platforms.

What next? Keep going with your local library.

💻 Also have a Mac?

The same workflow runs on macOS — and one FolioSort Pro license covers both your PC and your Mac. Here's the Mac version of this guide.

🖥️ Move it to a NAS

Use FolioSort's direct SMB transfer to put your organized library on a NAS — network accessible from every PC, phone and TV at home.

🏠 Add Immich on top

Run Immich on a home server and point it at your FolioSort-organized folder. Get a Google Photos-like UI over your perfectly organized local library.

Download Google Photos to Your Windows PC — With the Right Dates