Takeout packages your files into neat .zip folders. Most importantly, for Google Photos, it includes JSON sidecar files that preserve the EXIF data (the hidden data about when the photo was taken and the camera used).
When you select multiple files in a web browser and click download, Google automatically compresses them into a .zip file. This often fails if the total size is too large. Download in batches of 2GB to 5GB.
For developers and power users, Google Drive's API offers a more advanced way to bulk download files.
For advanced users, you can use Google Drive's API and scripting capabilities to bulk download high-quality files. This method requires:
This method bypasses the browser's file-zipping process entirely, ensuring your high-quality videos and photos remain intact. Leverage Google Takeout for Full Backups