How long does Google Takeout take? My 190 GB photo export, timed
Google says most people get their download link the same day they ask, though it can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days (Google). My own Google Photos export, about 190 GB in 20 parts, was ready in about an hour and a half.
Google Takeout is Google's own download tool: you tick what you want a copy of, and Google packs it up for you. I'm David, and I'm building a tool that moves Google Photos into OneDrive, so I timed my own export. Here's how long each part of the job took, what slows it down, and when to worry.
How do I start one? Go to takeout.google.com, click "Deselect all", tick Google Photos, then click "Next step". Takeout asks where to send your copy (Google Drive, or a download link by email, for example) and how big each part should be. Then click "Create export". The full steps are in the main guide.
How long did my Google Takeout take?
| Step | What happened | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Asking for the copy | Ticked Google Photos only, chose Google Drive | About 5 minutes (my estimate) |
| Google packing it up | Google made the copy and put it in my Google Drive | About 1.5 hours: the first part arrived after 29 minutes, the last after 89 |
| What arrived | 20 parts, about 190 GB in all | |
| The merge into OneDrive | 3,856 photos and videos copied (59.5 GB), every one checked | About 6 hours |
For comparison: one person wrote in 2022 that their export of about 70 GB of photos and videos took "about 10 and a half hours" (joshtronic).
Why is my Google Takeout taking so long?
Google doesn't publish a formula. In my experience, and from what Google says, these make a difference:
- How much you're downloading. Google says the time depends on "the amount of information in your account" (Google). A photo library is usually the biggest thing in an account.
- How many Google products you ticked. If you only want your photos, click "Deselect all" and tick only Google Photos. (My estimate: fewer products means a faster, smaller copy.)
Is my Google Takeout stuck?
Probably not, if it's been less than a few days. Google doesn't say what "stuck" looks like. It says an export can take a few days, and that if something goes wrong, you should try creating another one (Google).
Here's when I'd start to worry, and what I'd do (my own rules of thumb):
| What you see | What I'd do |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 days, still "in progress" | Wait. This is normal for a big library. |
| More than a week, no email | Check your spam folder for Google's email. Then ask for a new copy, with only Google Photos ticked. |
| The email came, but a part won't download | Try again: each part can be downloaded 5 times. Then ask for a new copy. |
| Fewer parts than the email lists | Look for a part that isn't a zip bundle. One of mine was a 17.5 GB video on its own. |
How long do Takeout download links last?
When you ask for your copy, Takeout asks where to send it. If you chose the download link by email, Google says your copy expires in about 7 days, and each part can be downloaded 5 times (Google). Download everything that week.
If you chose Google Drive, the copy stays in your Drive until you delete it. It counts toward your Google storage while it's there, so you need free space for it: see what to pick if your storage is nearly full.
One more thing Google warns about: the copy may not include changes you make while Google is packing it up. So photos you take or delete during the wait may or may not be in it.
How long does it take to move the photos into OneDrive afterwards?
That's the slow part if you do it by hand. You download every part, open the bundles, fix the dates, and upload to OneDrive. The download alone depends on your internet speed:
| Your internet download speed (any online speed test shows it) | Best case to download 190 GB (my calculation) |
|---|---|
| 50 Mbit/s | About 8.5 hours |
| 100 Mbit/s | About 4 hours |
| 200 Mbit/s | About 2 hours |
| 500 Mbit/s | About 50 minutes |
Real speeds are usually lower than the best case. Uploading to OneDrive often takes longer than downloading, because most home internet uploads more slowly than it downloads (my estimate; check your own speeds).
With MergeMyLibrary, the tool I'm building, you won't download anything. Its computers will read your copy where it sits in Google Drive and send each photo that's missing straight to OneDrive, without keeping any of them. You can switch your own computer off. My own merge of 3,856 photos and videos took about 6 hours.
Can I make the next one quicker?
Since June 2026, Google Takeout can do "incremental" Photos exports: one full export, then a new archive every two months for a year with only your new or edited photos (Android Authority). If you're moving in stages, that means later copies are much smaller.
Last checked by David Jackson. Spotted something out of date? Email dave@mergemylibrary.com.