How to Import Google Takeout Data

Google Takeout lets you export your data from Google services like Photos, Gmail, Drive, and more. But once you’ve downloaded your Takeout archive, the next steps, importing or transferring this data safely and effectively, can be confusing. This guide walks you through importing Google Takeout data while addressing common challenges such as preserving photo metadata, managing large archives, and transferring emails back into Gmail. Whether you’re switching accounts or creating backups, understanding the best way to handle your Google data will help you retain your valuable information without loss or corruption.

What Is Google Takeout and What Data Can You Export?

Google Takeout is a service that allows you to export an archive of your Google account data for backup or migration purposes. This archive can include a wide variety of content such as emails from Gmail, photos and videos from Google Photos, documents from Google Drive, contacts, calendars, location history, YouTube data, and more. The data is typically provided in compressed ZIP files with a folder structure mapped to the different Google services you selected. The downloadable package lets you retain control over your data outside of Google’s cloud storage ecosystem.

While Takeout is excellent for exporting data, it does not provide a direct import feature that restores data automatically back into Google services. Therefore, importing requires manual steps or third-party tools depending on the type of data.

How to Import Google Photos from a Takeout Export Without Losing Metadata

Photos exported via Google Takeout often have JSON files containing metadata such as timestamps, GPS locations, and album structures. However, when re-uploading photos to Google Photos, these JSON metadata files are ignored, which leads to loss of important information like original creation dates and locations.

Best Practices for Re-Uploading Photos and Preserving Metadata

• Tools such as exiftool can be used to manually merge JSON metadata into the photo files before re-uploading to Google Photos.
• It is better to avoid uploading photos directly from the zipped Takeout folders without processing metadata first.
• Keeping photos organised in folders will help you later recreate albums manually in Google Photos if needed.
• Be aware that Google Photos may not restore comments or shared data from Takeout archives.

Managing Large Google Takeout Archives and Export File Sizes

If your Takeout data is very large, Google splits the export into multiple zip files typically capped by size (e.g., 2GB or 50GB per file). Managing these large data volumes can be challenging.

Tips for Handling Large Downloads

These measures help avoid data corruption and ease the import process.

• The compressed ZIP format is recommended for wider compatibility.
• When your download includes many parts, ensure you extract all parts to a single folder before accessing the files.
• Use reliable extraction software capable of handling split archives.
• Plan your storage space accordingly to accommodate the total size of data.
• Breaking down imports into manageable batches rather than all at once can reduce errors.

How to Import Gmail Emails from Takeout Using MBOX Files

Emails exported from Gmail via Takeout come as MBOX files, a common email archive format that can be imported into email clients but not directly into Gmail online.

Importing MBOX Files Into Gmail

To restore emails into a new Gmail account:

• Mozilla Thunderbird with the ImportExportTools add-on can be used as an email client.
• Importing the MBOX file into Thunderbird’s Local Folders is the next step.
• Then, copying or moving emails from Local Folders into your connected Gmail account in Thunderbird will synchronise and upload the emails back to your Gmail server online.

Though seemingly complex, this is currently the most reliable way to import exported emails back into Gmail.

How to Transfer Google Takeout Data Between Google Accounts

Google Takeout formerly offered a “Transfer your content” feature for Google Workspace and Education accounts allowing items like Gmail and Drive files to move directly between accounts. However, this feature is limited and often unavailable for personal accounts.

For most users transferring between personal accounts:

• Download the Takeout archive.
• Manually upload Drive files to the new account’s Google Drive.
• For Gmail, import emails via an email client as described above.
• Photos and videos require manual upload after metadata processing.

Be mindful that some data like YouTube subscriptions or playlists cannot be transferred directly and may need manual recreation.

Your best option for reliable continuous protection and simplified recovery for your Google data might be a dedicated Google Workspace backup service designed for automated, encrypted backups and easy restore options.

Protecting Your Data With BackupVault

Importing data from Google Takeout involves manual steps and technical considerations, especially for photos and emails. To safeguard your business or personal data, using an automated cloud backup solution like BackupVault can provide continuous, encrypted backups of Gmail, Drive, Photos, and more with easy restore options. This not only protects you from accidental deletion and ransomware but also streamlines recovery without the risks that come from DIY Takeout imports.

Backing up and protecting your data proactively saves time and stress, ensuring your valuable digital assets remain secure and accessible when you need them.

Is your Google Workspace or Google Photos data fully protected? Consider BackupVault’s professional cloud backup solutions with UK-based support and compliance for peace of mind.