Google Takeout has no "Add to OneDrive" option? Here's what to do
Google's help page still lists "Add to Microsoft OneDrive" as a place to send your copy, but not every account shows it, and mine didn't. Pick Google Drive instead (or the download link by email, if your Google storage is nearly full): you lose nothing, and your photos can still go into OneDrive afterwards.
What did my Takeout show?
I'm David, and I'm building a tool that moves Google Photos into OneDrive. When I asked Google Takeout (Google's own download tool) for a copy of my own Google Photos in October 2026, I planned to send it straight to OneDrive. The option wasn't there. My account offered four places:
- a download link by email
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Box
I chose Google Drive. The copy was ready the same day: 20 parts, about 190 GB in all.
Why doesn't Google Takeout show "Add to OneDrive"?
Honestly, I don't know, and I haven't found anyone who does. Google's help page lists "Add to Microsoft OneDrive" as one of the places your copy can go, and it doesn't mention any accounts or countries that can't use it (Google). My personal Google account still didn't show it.
The good news: you don't need it. Your photos can get into OneDrive another way (below).
If you know why yours is missing, email me and I'll add it here.
Which option should I pick instead?
| Option | Where the copy goes | Does it use your Google storage? | How long it lasts | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Drive | Into your Google Drive, in a folder called "Takeout" | Yes, until you delete it (Google) | Until you delete it | You have room in your Google storage. It's also the option my tool will use. |
| Download link by email | Nowhere yet: Google emails you links to download the parts | No | About 7 days, and each part can be downloaded 5 times (Google) | Your Google storage is nearly full, and you can download everything this week |
| Dropbox or Box | Into that service | No, but it uses space there | Until you delete it | You already pay for Dropbox or Box and have room |
What's Google Drive? It's your Google account's online storage. Google Photos, Gmail and Drive all share the same space, so a copy sent to Drive uses the space you already pay Google for.
My advice: choose Google Drive if you have the space. Nothing expires, and you can come back to it. Before you start, check how much room you have left: Google Drive shows it under "Storage" in its menu. The copy is roughly as big as your photo library (my estimate).
Careful if your Google storage is nearly full. If the copy pushes you over your limit, Google stops backing up new photos from your phone (Google). Google doesn't say what Takeout does if your Drive fills up halfway through. If you're short of space, use the email link instead.
How do I choose Google Drive in Takeout?
- Go to takeout.google.com and sign in.
- Click "Deselect all", tick Google Photos, then click "Next step".
- Under "Destination", choose Add to Drive (that's Google Drive).
- Choose "Export once", file type .zip (a compressed bundle that most computers open with a double-click), and a large file size, so you get fewer parts.
- Click "Create export". Google emails you when it's ready.
Can I still get my photos into OneDrive?
Yes. The option only decides where Google puts the copy. From Google Drive you can either:
- Do it by hand: download the parts to your computer, open them, put the dates back, and upload to OneDrive. The steps are in the main guide.
- Use my tool, when it's ready: MergeMyLibrary reads your copy where it sits in Google Drive. You tick it in a window from Google, and it copies only what OneDrive is missing, with every date right. Nothing to download. It isn't out yet: I'm aiming for a small test in early 2027.
Would "Add to OneDrive" have saved me work? Not much. It puts the same download into OneDrive (Google): your photos still packed in zip bundles, and the dates still in Google's separate notes. You'd still have the same unpacking and date-fixing to do.
When I'm done, how do I get my Google storage back?
Delete the Takeout folder from Google Drive once your photos are safely in OneDrive and you've checked them. Then empty Drive's Trash as well.
Last checked by David Jackson. Spotted something out of date? Email dave@mergemylibrary.com.