Google Photos Streamlines Backups and Exports With Incremental Takeout
In Focus
- Incremental Takeout reduces backup time and storage requirements
- Users can schedule recurring exports after the initial backup
- The tech giant has capped each export through Google Takeout at 50GB
Google has introduced a new feature, Incremental Takeout, to make backups easier. The update allows users to export new or changed images and videos as opposed to downloading their entire photo library every time they want to backup. Google Photos Incremental Takeout also allows users to schedule backups, which saves users time and storage space.
The Takeout update comes months after Google expanded storage for AI Pro subscribers at no extra cost. The move was aimed at securing storage for user content and documents across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos.
Why is Google Updating Takeout?
Most users consider Google Photos an important backup for storing photos and videos. The service provides a platform for mirroring user libraries on local drives and other storage platforms.
For years now, Takeout has allowed users to export images and videos from Google Photos.
However, exporting backups through Takeout required users to create a full library export every single time. This meant that a single export, which likely contained years worth of backup, would require huge storage space. It was a cumbersome process that also took a long time to complete.
The Incremental Takeout for Photos feature solves these challenges and makes exporting photo libraries faster and more efficient. Now, Google Takeout will only move backups from Photos with a single full export. Subsequent scheduled exports on Google Photos will include new additions made to the library since the first export.
“Your first scheduled export contains all your selected photos and albums. The next exports in your schedule include items uploaded, backed up, created, or edited since your last successful backup. This saves you time and storage space,” Google noted on its Support Page.
How Google’s Incremental Photo Backups Work
With the latest Takeout update, users can schedule automatic Google Photos backups every year after the initial full export. Users have the option of scheduling exports for up to a year to ensure that only new edits, or uploads are backed up since the last successful export.
Google, which recently added a meme creation tool to the Photos app, has capped each export through Takeout at 50GB. For users who maintain local backups in the Google Photos library, the Takeout update makes the solution more practical.
To activate the new feature, users should select Google Photos in their Takeout export. They can select the recurring export option to schedule backups during setup. According to Google, scheduled exports automatically archive selected data every two months. Users who have signed up for the Advanced Protection Program cannot access scheduled exports.
What the Takeout Update Means for Google
The Incremental Takeout update strengthens Google Photos’ position as a long-term backup solution. With the update, the tech giant is making it easier for users to maintain copies of their data outside its ecosystem. The feature also improves the overall Takeout experience for users. The update highlights Google’s efforts to make it easier for users to move personal data as regulators and consumers continue to push for greater data portability.
