Big downloads
How large downloads are prepared in the background, where to find them, and how long they're kept.
Large downloads, and every Print-ready JPEG download, are prepared in the background so you don’t have to wait with the page open.
Get a big download
- Start the download from your timeline or the Downloads page. If it’s big, you’ll see “That’s a big one, so we’re preparing it in the background.”
- You can leave the page or close your browser. On the Downloads page, under Your downloads, you’ll see its progress, for example “120 of 4,000”.
- When it’s ready, we email you a link to your Downloads page, and the status changes to Ready.
- Go to Downloads and click Download. Very big downloads are split into several zip files: click each Part, for example Part 1 of 3.
To get to the Downloads page, click Downloads at the top of your Timeline, or See downloads in the message that appears when you start one.
Each part is a complete zip file covering its own stretch of time, with its own manifest. You can unzip the parts in any order.
How long downloads are kept
A ready download stays available for 7 days. The date it’s available until is shown under its download buttons. After that, the files are removed and the download shows Expired. Your photos in your library aren’t affected. Start a new download whenever you need one.
To remove a download sooner, click Remove (the bin icon) next to it.
If something goes wrong
- “You already have a download being prepared.” Only one can be prepared at a time. Wait for it to finish.
- A download shows “Failed”. Start it again. If it says we ran out of room, try again later or download a smaller date range.
- “1 item couldn’t be read and was left out.” The rest of your download is complete. The item is still in your library; you can open it and use Download original.
- “That download has expired.” Start a new one from the Downloads page.