RollmendGoogle Takeout: photos missing or incomplete
Counting files in a Takeout and comparing with the number Google Photos shows rarely matches. Sometimes that's harmless; sometimes parts really are missing.
Updated 2026-10-26 · 5 min read
1. A zip part wasn't downloaded
Large exports have many parts (takeout-…-001.zip, -002.zip …). Check the numbers are continuous and every file opens. A part that stopped downloading is often smaller than the others.
2. Shared albums and partner sharing
Photos other people shared with you, and items only visible through partner sharing, may not be part of your own library export. Save them to your library first if you need them.
3. Duplicates inflate the count
The same photo appears in an album folder and in “Photos from YYYY”. Counting all files overstates the real number – see duplicates.
4. JSON files counted as photos
Every photo has a .json next to it. Count only image/video extensions.
5. Edited versions
Edited photos may appear as an extra “-edited” file next to the original.
6. Live and motion photos
One item in Google Photos may be two files (image + video) in Takeout.
7. Export limits or errors
If Takeout reported errors, request a new export, possibly year by year (“All photo albums included” › pick years).
A quick, reliable check
Open all zip parts in Rollmend and run the free scan. The report lists photos and videos found, JSON matched, duplicates between albums and year folders, and files without JSON – downloadable as CSV, so you can compare years with what Google Photos shows.
Scan your Takeout first – free. Rollmend reads your Google Photos Takeout folder or zip parts in the browser, matches every photo and video with its JSON (including .supplemental-metadata.json and cut-off names), writes the real date, GPS and caption back into the files, removes album duplicates and exports a year/month folder. Nothing is uploaded. The scan report is free for everything and 50 files can be fixed free; a $15 one-time license fixes the whole library.
Questions and answers
Can Rollmend find photos that are not in the export?
No – it only sees the files you give it. Missing items need a new export.
Is the scan free?
Yes, the scan and report are free for the whole Takeout.
Sources and product names: Google Takeout and Google Photos help (shared albums, partner sharing). Google Photos and Google Takeout are trademarks of Google LLC; iCloud and Apple Photos of Apple Inc.; Synology of Synology Inc.; OneDrive of Microsoft. Immich is an open-source project. Rollmend is independent and not affiliated with them.