Google is killing off Album Archive next month

Extremely popular a few years ago, services like Google Hangouts were retired in favor of Google Chat. No matter the device you sent the image from, some of the pictures you posted on the platform and other abandoned services are still accessible on Album Archive. The business is currently notifying some users through email of Album Archive’s impending closure and advising them to use Google Takeout to back up their stuff.

The email has already been received by numerous users, including a few members of the Android Police staff. Nevertheless, customers who manually access the Album Archive page from a Google account are greeted with a banner warning them that their content will be deleted after July 19, 2023, even if they don’t receive an email about this change.

Email from Google regarding Album Archive

Google states in the email that as of July 19, “content that’s only available in the Album Archive” will be removed. The business continues by explaining that this might include Google Hangouts data that is now preserved in the Album Archive or even background images that were uploaded using the Gmail theme selector before 2018. The email warns that any tiny thumbnail images, album comments, or likes that may have been stored within Album Archive would also be deleted.

The Album Archive tab provides a gallery view of any photos or movies you’ve transmitted using earlier Google products; in my instance, that would have been Hangouts. If there is something you want to save, Takeout enables you to send yourself a download link or move the item to a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, or Dropbox.

Google Export Takeout

It’s important to note that download links for Google Takeout created via email are only good for seven days. In addition, Google warns that Workspace users won’t be able to download their photographs or videos from Takeout without their admin’s permission.

According to a support website explaining the demise of Album Archive, users may continue to “view and manage” information on platforms like Blogger, Hangouts (Chat), Google Photos, and their basic Google accounts after July 19.

The Album Archive page is a good place to relax and browse some of the previously shared Google Services stuff that you probably forgot about. However, some people are undoubtedly perplexed by the email message, especially given that the photographs and videos will continue to be accessible on other Google services after July 19, 2023.