How to restore Google Photos Takeout metadata in photos and videos
Restoring Google Photos Takeout metadata means taking information exported in JSON files and applying it, when safe, to the matching photo or video. The workflow must be conservative because duplicate names, edited files and repeated albums can confuse simple tools.
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The real problem
Most people notice the issue after opening the export in another program: photos show the download date, videos group under the export day, and descriptions disappear. The media exists, but the timeline no longer tells the real story.
Correct restoration must respect the original file, the sidecar, the time zone and duplicate policy. If one of those pieces is ignored, a result may look fine in a tiny sample and fail across thousands of files.
Recommended workflow
Start by preserving the original export. Then choose copy mode or an output folder, run a sample, review the report and only then process the full archive. This prevents a date fix from becoming context loss.
- Keep photos, videos and JSON files in the same folder structure.
- Include media from different albums in the sample.
- Compare resulting dates with what you expect in the timeline.
- Keep the CSV report with the migration project.
Where MetaVault Studio helps
MetaVault Studio reads the source folder, identifies compatible JSON/XMP sidecars, writes metadata without recompressing visual content and records the result. The point is traceability: the operator should know what was applied, skipped or separated.
That is useful for commercial work, technical support and large family libraries where manual correction does not scale.
Where this fits in MetaVault Studio
The app workflow is designed to import a folder, apply metadata with a report, and keep problem cases visible for review.
Related guides
Common questions
Does restoring metadata change the image?
The intent is to write metadata, not recompress pixels. Still, keep backups and test samples before any large batch.
Does it work with videos?
Yes, when the format and fields are compatible. Videos need extra care because dates may live in different QuickTime/MP4 fields.
Do I need command line tools?
No. MetaVault Studio turns this workflow into a guided operation.
Source and transparency
Also review Google's official help for exporting Google Photos. MetaVault Studio is an independent tool; Google Photos, Google Takeout, OneDrive, and Microsoft are trademarks of their respective owners. Official Google Photos help.