Google has started informing users that its photo roundup service, Album Archive, will shut down in July 2023, with the company providing other ways to back up content.
Album Archive allowed users to view images from Google services in one location, regardless of the device that they were sent on. Users of the service are receiving emails about the impending shutdown that urges them to use Google Takeout to save their existing photos.
Those who visit the Album Archive website will also be greeted by a message that reads: “Album Archive will no longer be available. Photos and videos you see here will no longer be available after July 19th, 2023. You can use Takeout to download these items before then.”
A ‘learn more’ button will take users to this page which explains the change and subsequent replacement options in more detail.
Some Google users are still a bit confused, though (see below).
this is the first time I've heard of Album Archive and Google Takeout pic.twitter.com/OfEhftW0jl
— Hristo Oskov (@UnsungHero97) June 16, 2023
The Album Archive home page shows a gallery view of images and videos that the user sent through other Google services, so if there are some Google Hangout images you’d like to save, Takeout can provide a download link through an email or transfer it to cloud service such as Google Drive.
The links provided by email through Google Takeout are typically only valid for seven days, and Workspace users will require their admin’s permission before downloading content from Takeout.
A support page that discusses the shutdown hints that content can be viewed and managed through July 19th on services like Blogger, Google Photos and Chat.
Users will have until July 19th, 2023, to download copies of their Album Archive data through Takeout.
Source: Google Via: Android Police
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
