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The safest migration is a staged copy: export only Google Photos with Google Takeout, download every archive, extract each archive with its JSON sidecars still beside the media, copy the result to ZimaOS, then index it with PhotoPrism or import it with Immich. Keep the Google library and an independent backup until capture dates, locations, videos, edited files, Live Photos, and representative albums have all been checked.
What the migration actually involves
A Google Photos library is not just a folder of images. A complete move can include photos, videos, edited versions, Live Photos, Google-generated metadata, and album relationships. Google Takeout is the supported starting point for obtaining the files. Downloading a Takeout archive copies your data; it does not delete the library from Google’s servers.
The migration has four separate jobs:
- Export: create a Google Photos Takeout archive and download every part.
- Prepare: extract all archives without separating media files from their JSON sidecars.
- Index or import: make a ZimaOS photo application read the extracted library.
- Verify and protect: check metadata and representative media, then maintain a second copy before removing anything from Google.
PhotoPrism is the more straightforward documented route on ZimaOS because it is available in the ZimaOS App Store and has a specific Google Takeout workflow. Immich is a strong alternative if you prefer its web and mobile experience and are prepared to use the immich-go migration utility.
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Choose storage with room for more than the archive
Takeout archives are compressed packages. After extraction, the original photos and videos occupy their uncompressed size, while the application may also create thumbnails, search indexes, a database, logs, and other application data. A NAS volume that barely fits the downloaded archives can therefore run out of space during indexing.
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Use a NAS-rated hard drive for the primary ZimaOS library and reserve separate capacity for application data and a second copy. An external USB hard drive is a practical place for that independent backup. The exact overhead is not universal: it varies with the number and type of files, thumbnail settings, database growth, and the application you choose.
Decide whether the NAS will be the only working copy
Do not treat the first successful index as proof that the migration is complete. Keep the Google library, the downloaded Takeout archives, or both until you have validated the result. A NAS protects against some device failures, but a separate copy protects against accidental deletion, corruption, and a failed storage device.
Prepare a temporary workspace
Takeout can be split into multiple archives. Plan a local or NAS staging area large enough to hold every downloaded archive and the fully extracted tree at the same time. Keep the archive parts together and use a filesystem that can store the original filenames and large video files without silently truncating them.
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Google Takeout lets you create an archive for your records without removing the source library. Selecting only Google Photos reduces irrelevant data and makes it easier to identify missing files.
- Open Google Takeout while signed in to the Google account that owns the library.
- Choose Deselect all, then select Google Photos.
- Continue to the export settings and choose a one-time export rather than a recurring schedule.
- Choose the archive format and a part size that your download and staging storage can handle. A large library may be divided into several archive files.
- Create the export and wait for Google to finish preparing it.
- Download every archive part. If the export is split, do not extract or import only the first part.
Keep the download notification and archive filenames until the migration is verified. If a download is interrupted, obtain that part again rather than assuming a partially downloaded archive is usable.
What Takeout contains
The extracted tree normally contains the media files plus JSON sidecars. Those sidecars can carry information that is not reliably preserved by copying a file alone, including the title, caption, latitude and longitude, date and time taken, date and time created, and date and time updated. The photo application needs both the media and the matching JSON files.
Step 2: Extract every archive without losing sidecars
Extract to one staging tree
Extract all Takeout parts into a single staging location. Do not import an archive while another part is still downloading, and do not scatter the JSON files into a separate metadata folder. PhotoPrism’s Google migration guidance specifically calls for the photo files to remain alongside their JSON files before indexing.
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- Confirm that all archive parts are present before starting extraction.
- Extract each part with a tool that reports errors rather than silently skipping damaged entries.
- Retain the directory structure created by Takeout unless you have a clear reason to reorganize it.
- Inspect several folders and confirm that media files have corresponding JSON sidecars where Takeout supplied them.
- Check the extraction log for failures, insufficient-space errors, or corrupt archives.
Do not “clean up” filenames yet
Renaming, deduplicating, or moving files before the first import can make it harder to match a sidecar to its media file. First complete a faithful copy and index. Any later organization should be done from a verified working copy.
Keep videos and special formats
Videos, edited images, and Live Photos are part of the migration scope. Do not filter by extension unless you have deliberately decided to exclude a format and have recorded that decision. Include the companion files that Takeout provides for motion or Live Photo content.
Step 3: Put the library in ZimaOS storage
Use a dedicated photos folder
Create a stable destination on the ZimaOS data volume rather than placing the library in a temporary download directory. The documented PhotoPrism ZimaOS setup uses the host path /DATA/Gallery and maps it into the container as /photoprism/originals. If you choose another host folder, use the path mapping shown by the ZimaOS app configuration and keep it consistent.
- Open the ZimaOS file manager or your preferred network-share method.
- Create or select the library folder on the intended storage space.
- Copy the extracted media and its JSON sidecars into that folder.
- Wait for the copy to finish before starting indexing or importing.
- Compare the source and destination folder contents, including the presence of video files and sidecars.
A copy operation that finishes without an error is not a content audit. Check free space, inspect file counts, and open representative files from the destination before asking the application to process the whole tree.
PhotoPrism on ZimaOS: the simplest documented path
Install PhotoPrism from the ZimaOS App Store
PhotoPrism is available through the ZimaOS App Store. During setup, map the host’s photo folder to PhotoPrism’s originals location. In the documented default layout, files in /DATA/Gallery appear to PhotoPrism at /photoprism/originals.
- Open the ZimaOS App Store and install PhotoPrism.
- Review the application’s storage mappings before starting it.
- Set the originals mapping to the folder that contains the extracted Takeout files; the standard ZimaOS mapping is
/DATA/Galleryto/photoprism/originals. - Start the application and sign in using the credentials you configured for the installation.
- Open PhotoPrism’s Library tab and start an index after the copy is complete.
Copying files into the mapped folder does not by itself make them appear in the catalog. The explicit index run is the step that reads the media and the accompanying metadata.
How PhotoPrism handles Takeout metadata
PhotoPrism’s Google migration documentation says it reads title, caption, latitude and longitude, date and time taken, date and time created, and date and time updated from Google Takeout JSON sidecars. That is why preserving the sidecars beside the media is essential.
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What PhotoPrism does not do automatically
Google Photos albums are not automatically imported into PhotoPrism. PhotoPrism’s documentation points to a community bash script for album transfer because Google also creates albums automatically and users may not want all of those recreated. Album reconstruction is therefore a separate, optional operation rather than part of the initial index.
Immich on ZimaOS: a capable alternative
Install and choose the import method
ZimaOS documents Immich installation through its App Store. Immich’s quick-start migration guidance directs Google Photos users to Google Takeout and the immich-go utility rather than treating a plain folder copy as the complete migration procedure.
- Create and download a Google Photos Takeout export as described above.
- Install Immich from the ZimaOS App Store and confirm where its library and application data will reside.
- Follow Immich’s current
immich-goinstructions for the downloaded Takeout files, including the required connection details and import options for your installed release. - Run the import against a verified copy of the extracted export.
- Review the resulting dates, locations, videos, edited media, and albums before treating the migration as finished.
Because Immich’s command-line options can change between releases, use the syntax documented for the version installed on your ZimaOS system instead of copying an old command from a forum post.
Immich backup implication
Immich warns that a database backup does not include the image and video files. A recoverable Immich deployment therefore needs separate protection for the media library as well as the database and application configuration. Backing up only the database can restore catalog records without restoring the underlying photographs.
PhotoPrism or Immich: which should you choose?
| Decision factor | PhotoPrism | Immich |
|---|---|---|
| ZimaOS installation | Available in the ZimaOS App Store, with a documented host-to-container path using /DATA/Gallery and /photoprism/originals. |
Available through the ZimaOS App Store; use the storage and release instructions shown by ZimaOS and Immich. |
| Google Takeout workflow | Copy extracted media and JSON sidecars into the originals or import location, then start an index from the Library tab. | Use Google Takeout with the immich-go migration utility as described in Immich’s current documentation. |
| Metadata handling | Documentation specifically lists titles, captions, coordinates, and several date fields read from Takeout JSON sidecars. | Validate the imported metadata in your installed release; the cited guidance does not establish a universal field-by-field fidelity guarantee. |
| Google album migration | Not automatic. A community bash script is referenced for optional album transfer; verify compatibility before running it. | Use the album behavior and import options documented for the current immich-go release. |
| Backup model | Protect the originals, thumbnails, database, and application data according to your deployment layout. | Back up the image and video files separately from the database because database backups do not contain media. |
| Hardware and speed | Actual indexing time depends on archive size, disk speed, and workload; no universal benchmark or capacity formula is established. | The same variables apply; no universal end-to-end migration benchmark is established. |
Choose PhotoPrism when the clearest documented ZimaOS path and direct sidecar indexing matter most. Choose Immich when its web/mobile workflow is the better fit and you are comfortable managing immich-go plus a media-aware backup plan.
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Run validation after indexing or importing, not just after copying. The goal is to find silent omissions and metadata mismatches while the Google library and Takeout archives are still available.
Check capture dates
- Open photos from several years and confirm that the displayed date matches the original capture date, not merely the file-copy date.
- Include screenshots, scans, and images edited outside Google Photos, because their embedded dates may differ from ordinary camera photos.
- Inspect items whose dates were manually corrected in Google Photos and confirm that the destination application presents the expected timeline.
Check location metadata
- Open images from different locations and confirm that latitude and longitude are shown where Google supplied them.
- Verify at least one image with no location, so you know the application is not assigning a false default location.
Check videos, edits, and Live Photos
- Play short and long videos, including different formats present in your library.
- Open edited images and compare them with the versions you expect to retain.
- Test several Live Photos or motion-photo pairs and confirm that both the still image and motion component remain usable.
Sample the library instead of checking only recent files
Sample the oldest and newest years, multiple folders from the Takeout tree, and files with unusual names or formats. Include a few items from large albums and from albums created automatically by Google. A recent-photo spot check cannot reveal a problem limited to an older archive part.
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Recreate Google Photos albums as a separate project
Albums and the underlying files are different data sets. A successful file and metadata import can still leave the album organization absent.
PhotoPrism album transfer
PhotoPrism states that Google Photos albums are not automatically imported. Its documentation references a community bash script for transferring albums. Treat that script as an optional migration aid:
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- Finish and validate the main media index first.
- Read the script’s instructions and inspect what it will create before execution.
- Check that it supports your current PhotoPrism version and your current Takeout directory layout.
- Run it against a copy or after making a fresh application backup.
- Verify several recreated albums and confirm that automatically generated albums have not produced unwanted clutter.
Why album checks matter
Album names can be duplicated, changed, or generated automatically by Google. Decide whether you need every album, only manually curated albums, or simply a searchable chronological library. That decision determines whether the extra transfer work is worthwhile.
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Keep a second media copy
Maintain a second copy on an external USB hard drive or another storage system. The copy should include the original photos and videos, not just thumbnails or an application database. Label it with the date of the completed export and update it after future additions.
Use ZimaOS Data Migration when changing storage
ZimaOS’s Data Migration tool can move Docker images, Docker application data, and user folders such as Photos and Backup between storage spaces. It provides choices for handling conflicts and for retaining or removing the source. Read those choices carefully before confirming a move; retaining the source is safer until the destination has been checked.
- Open the ZimaOS Data Migration tool.
- Select the source and destination storage spaces.
- Choose the Docker images, application data, and user folders required by your deployment.
- Review conflict handling and source-retention options.
- Run the migration and verify that the application still sees its mapped originals folder afterward.
What a recoverable backup must contain
- The original media files.
- Google Takeout JSON sidecars when you may need to rebuild metadata.
- PhotoPrism or Immich application data and database files according to the application’s backup guidance.
- Configuration details such as storage mappings and credentials stored in your password manager.
For Immich, database-only protection is insufficient because the database backup does not include image and video files.
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Troubleshoot common migration failures
Files are visible on ZimaOS but not in PhotoPrism
Confirm the container mapping first. The files must be in the host folder mapped to /photoprism/originals; the documented ZimaOS default is /DATA/Gallery. Then open the Library tab and start an index. A file copy alone does not trigger cataloging.
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Dates or locations are missing
Check whether the matching JSON sidecars survived extraction and remain alongside the media. If you copied only images and videos, repeat the process from the original Takeout archives. Also confirm that the item was not one of the files for which Google supplied no location or corrected date.
Only part of the library appears
Look for an unextracted archive part, a failed extraction log, or insufficient destination space. Compare older and newer Takeout folders and inspect the application’s indexing status. Do not delete the source until the missing segment is found.
Videos fail to play
Test the original file directly from the ZimaOS folder. If it is damaged there, the problem occurred during download or extraction. If the original plays but the application does not, review the application’s supported formats and re-index the affected files after resolving any storage or permission issue.
Albums are absent
This is expected for PhotoPrism’s standard Takeout index because Google albums are not automatically imported. Use the separate album-transfer procedure only after the main library is sound, and verify the script against your installed version.
Immich shows catalog records but recovery lacks media
Restore the image and video backup as well as the Immich database. A database-only restore cannot recreate files that were never included in the backup.
Final migration checklist
- Google Takeout was limited to Google Photos and every archive part was downloaded.
- Every archive was extracted successfully, with JSON sidecars kept beside the media.
- The complete extracted tree was copied to the intended ZimaOS storage.
- PhotoPrism was indexed from the Library tab, or Immich was imported with the current
immich-goworkflow. - Capture dates, coordinates, edited files, Live Photos, and videos were sampled across the library.
- Album requirements were decided, and any optional transfer was verified.
- A second copy of the originals exists, and application data is covered by a recovery plan.
- The Google library and Takeout archives remain available until all checks pass.
Once those checks succeed, the ZimaOS NAS can become the working library. Continue to protect it as two kinds of data: the original media that must be independently backed up, and the application catalog that makes that media searchable and organized.
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