Transfer Your Photos to Pixyvue

If you have photos stored in other services or on your devices, Pixyvue makes it easy to import them.

Note: This step is optional. If you're starting fresh with Pixyvue and don't have existing photos to import, you can skip this step and proceed directly to set up for daily use.

Transferring from cloud services

If your photos are currently stored in another cloud service, we have detailed guides for the most popular platforms:

From Google Photos

  1. Go to Google Takeout and sign in with your Google account
  2. Click "Deselect all" to uncheck all services, then scroll down to select "Google Photos" & "Drive (if you have photos in your Drive)"
  3. Click "Next step" at the bottom of the page
  4. Choose your export settings:
    • Delivery method: Choose "Email download link"
    • Frequency: Select "Export once"
    • File type: Choose "ZIP" (default)
    • File size: For large libraries, Google may split into multiple ZIP files (2GB or 50GB per file)
  5. Click "Create export" - Google will prepare your archive (this may take several hours or days for large libraries)
  6. You'll receive an email notification when your export is ready
  7. Click the download link in the email or go back to Google Takeout to download your archive
  8. Download all ZIP files (Google may split large libraries into multiple files)
  9. Extract all ZIP files to a folder on your computer - your photos will be organized in folders by date or album
  10. Visit the Pixyvue website and log in to your account
  11. Navigate to the upload section
  12. Drag and drop your extracted photos or folders directly into the upload area

Note: Google Takeout exports may include JSON metadata files alongside your photos. You can ignore these files when uploading to Pixyvue - only the actual photo files (JPG, PNG, etc.) need to be uploaded.

From Apple Photos (iCloud or Mac)

Option 1: From iCloud Photos (Web)

  1. Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID
  2. Click on "Photos" to open your iCloud Photos library
  3. Select photos to download:
    • To select multiple photos: Hold Shift (for range) or Cmd/Ctrl (for individual) and click on photos
    • To select all photos in a view: Use Cmd/Ctrl + A (Mac) or Ctrl + A (Windows)
  4. Click the download button (cloud icon with downward arrow) in the top-right corner
  5. Your browser will download the selected photos as a ZIP file
  6. Extract the ZIP file to access your photos
  7. Note: iCloud.com has limitations - you can only download up to 1,000 photos at a time. For larger libraries, use Option 2 or 3 below.

Option 2: From Mac Photos App (Recommended for large libraries)

  1. Open the Photos app on your Mac
  2. Select the photos you want to export:
    • To select multiple: Hold Shift (for range) or Cmd (for individual) and click
    • To select all: Press Cmd + A
  3. Go to File → Export → Export Photos (or press Shift + Cmd + E)
  4. In the export dialog, choose your settings:
    • Photo Kind: Select "Original" to keep full quality
    • File Name: Choose how you want files named (e.g., "Use Title" or "Use Filename")
    • Subfolder Format: Optional - organize by date or other criteria
  5. Choose a destination folder and click "Export"
  6. Wait for the export to complete (this may take time for large libraries)

Option 3: Request Data from Apple Privacy Portal (For very large libraries)

  1. Go to privacy.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID
  2. Click "Request a copy of your data"
  3. Select "Photos" from the list of available data
  4. Submit your request - Apple will prepare your data (this may take several days)
  5. You'll receive an email when your data is ready
  6. Download the archive from the provided link
  7. Extract the downloaded files to access your photos

After exporting, upload to Pixyvue:

  1. Visit the Pixyvue website and log in to your account
  2. Navigate to the upload section
  3. Drag and drop your exported photos or folders directly into the upload area

Tip: For large libraries, exporting from the Mac Photos app (Option 2) is usually the fastest and most reliable method.

From Amazon Photos

  1. Go to Amazon Photos and sign in with your Amazon account
  2. Navigate to your photos library - you can browse by date, albums, or search for specific photos
  3. Select photos and videos to download:
    • To select individual items: Click on each photo/video (a checkmark will appear)
    • To select multiple: Hold Shift (for range) or Ctrl/Cmd (for individual) and click
    • To select all visible items: Use the "Select All" option if available, or press Ctrl/Cmd + A
    • To download entire albums: Go to the Albums section, open an album, then select all items in that album
  4. Click the "Download" button (downward arrow icon) in the top toolbar
  5. Your browser will download the selected photos and videos as a ZIP file
  6. Wait for the download to complete - large selections may take time to prepare
  7. Extract the ZIP file to access your photos and videos
  8. Note: Amazon Photos may limit the number of items you can download at once. For large libraries, you may need to download in multiple batches (e.g., by year or album).
  9. Visit the Pixyvue website and log in to your account
  10. Navigate to the upload section
  11. Drag and drop your extracted photos, videos, or folders directly into the upload area

Tip: If you have a very large library, consider downloading by year or album to make the process more manageable. Amazon Photos organizes your media by date, making it easy to download specific time periods.

Transferring from local storage

If your photos are stored on your computer or external hard drive:

From local hard disk

  1. Locate your photos folder on your computer or external drive
  2. Visit the Pixyvue website and log in to your account
  3. Navigate to the upload section
  4. Drag and drop your photos or entire folders directly into the upload area
  5. You can select multiple folders at once - just drag them all together
  6. Keep the browser tab open until all uploads are complete
Tip: For external drives, make sure they're connected to your computer before starting the upload process.

How transfer works

All transfer methods work by importing your photos into Pixyvue while preserving:

  • Original photo quality - No compression applied
  • Creation dates and timestamps - Your photos keep their original metadata
  • Photo metadata - EXIF data, location info, and more are preserved

The transfer process is safe - your original photos remain untouched in their current location until you decide to delete them.

What to expect:
  • Time: Large photo libraries can take several hours to days to fully upload, depending on your library size and internet speed
  • Storage: Ensure you have enough storage space in your Pixyvue plan before starting
  • Duplicates: Pixyvue automatically detects and handles duplicate photos during upload

Tips for a smooth transfer

  1. Start with a small batch - Try uploading a small folder first to familiarize yourself with the process
  2. Check your storage - Make sure you have enough storage space in your Pixyvue plan for all your photos
  3. Use a stable internet connection - A reliable connection ensures smooth uploads, especially for large files
  4. Keep the browser tab open - Don't close the upload tab until all transfers are complete
  5. Keep originals until verified - Don't delete your original photos until you've confirmed everything uploaded correctly
  6. Upload during off-peak hours - For large libraries, uploading during off-peak hours can be faster

Next steps

Once your photos are imported into Pixyvue:

  • Set up automatic backup for daily use - Configure your mobile apps to automatically backup new photos
  • Organize your memories - Use Pixyvue's smart organization features to organize your imported photos
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