Backing up all photos

Once your event is over, you’ll want all the photos saved safely – a backup before the storage period ends. Photogala packs the entire gallery into one or more ZIP archives server-side. You can choose between a simple one-click download and an advanced download with seven numbered steps (folder structure, file names, filters, recycle bin and more).

Note

Bulk download depends on your event’s plan. If the menu item is missing or you see an upgrade prompt instead, unlock the feature through your plan – see Plans & upgrade.

How to reach the download area

1. In the top right, use the profile menu to switch into the admin area (entry Management → Admin portal).

2. In the left sidebar, category Gallery, click Full Download (down-arrow icon). Route: /admin/download.

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   The download page in simple mode: ① “Advanced Options” switches to the seven-step setup – folder structure, file names, description files, recycle bin, photo selection, splitting by status and the structure preview. ② the status tiles: published, unpublished and waiting for approval. ③ downloads every photo with the default settings; the ZIP is split into parts at 1 GB.

3. The page is titled Photo Download. In the top right you’ll find the toggle Advanced Options – in advanced mode it reads Back to Simple Download.

Tip

For how to reach the admin area in the first place, see Reaching the event admin.

Part A – Simple download (default)

The default view is the fastest route to a backup: one click and the entire gallery is packed with the default settings.

The three stat tiles

At the top you see three counters showing what will be included:

1 Published – the finished photos, 2 Unpublished – the hidden ones, 3 Pending – those still waiting for approval. The simple download takes all three groups; the advanced download lets you pick them individually.

• Published – the published photos, visible to guests.
• Unpublished – photos that aren’t published (internal only).
• Pending – photos still waiting for your approval (moderation).

The simple download includes all three statuses – nothing is left out.

Download with one click

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The button always names how many photos it will pack – Download N Photos. One click starts the archive right away; no selection or filter needed.

1. Under the heading Download Your Photos (“Download all your event photos in one click.”) sits the big button Download N Photos – N is the sum of published, unpublished and pending photos.

2. Click the button. The line below tells you what happens: “This will download all your photos using the default settings.” In practice that means split by status is on (photos go into folders by status), and archives are split automatically at 1 GB.

3. The screen switches to the progress screen (see Part B).

Note

The reminder from the info box: “Your photos will be organized into folders by photo status. ZIP files are split at 1GB for easier downloading.” The simple download deliberately offers no filters – for fine control switch to advanced mode. At the very bottom, the question “Need more control over your download?” with the link Try Advanced Download takes you straight there.

No photos available

If there are no photos in the gallery yet, the page shows the card No photos yet instead of the button, with the note “Once your guests have uploaded photos you can download everything here in one go.” Below it sit two buttons that lead exactly where photos come from: Get QR code opens the share dialog with a QR code and link to pass around, Open gallery jumps into the guest view. As soon as guests upload, the download button is back.

Part B – The progress and result screen

Whether simple or advanced: once a download has been requested, this screen replaces the configuration. Progress comes in live over a WebSocket connection – you don’t need to reload the page.

It has three states, and each one looks different.

1. While the archive is being packed

The screen while the archive is being built. ① the heading Download in Progress with the subtitle “Please wait while we prepare your files”, ② Preparing Download, the bar and Progress: 42% – both update live, no reloading needed, ③ the blue info line with the 1 GB note, ④ CANCEL DOWNLOAD REQUEST at the very bottom – the only way to stop a running download.

Below it, as reassurance: “We’re gathering your photos. This may take a few minutes for large collections.” Progress arrives over a WebSocket, so you can safely close the tab – the download keeps running on the server.

2. When the archive is ready

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The result screen. ① the heading Download Complete (“Your files are ready for download”), ② the green Download Ready note with a check icon – a line, not a box, ③ the Available Files: list, here with File Part 1 (ZIP) and File Part 2 (ZIP). Clicking an entry downloads exactly that part. Right below sits the Share download publicly toggle – still off in this shot.

At the very bottom, Delete Generated ZIP & Start New Download (in advanced mode: … & Configure New Download) resets everything so you can build a fresh archive. While the old archive is around, the settings stay locked.

3. When something goes wrong

The failure case. ① the heading Download Failed, ② the message “There was an error processing your download request. Please try again.”, ③ CLEAR FAILED REQUEST & START OVER – only this click releases the configuration again. Any partial archives are discarded in the process.

Multiple ZIP parts for large galleries

Large collections are split automatically into several archives at 1 GB – large videos can make individual parts bigger. The Available Files: list then holds one File Part N (ZIP) entry per part; for a single file it is one plain download link. In that case download every part – each part holds different photos, they complement each other, and no single part is a complete backup on its own.

Tip

Large collections take time. But you don’t have to wait at the screen: progress arrives live via WebSocket, and Photogala emails you once the archive is ready. More on this: Email notifications.

Share the ZIP publicly

Once the download is finished, the sharing area appears at the bottom of the result screen – in both modes, simple and advanced:

1. Turn on the Share download publicly toggle. The hint explains: “Allow anyone with the event link to download these files. Available for 30 days.” From then on anyone with the link downloads the finished files – without logging in.

2. Under Shareable link: a field with the finished address appears alongside a Copy link button (briefly showing Link copied! after the click). The address is the event link with /download appended – if your event has a slug it looks like this: photogala.net/@sarah-adams-hochzeit/download.

3. Below it you’ll see Available until DATE on the left (expiry, 30 days after you switch it on) and Downloaded N time(s) on the right (how often the link was used).

The sharing area once the toggle is on. ① Share download publicly with the explanation “Allow anyone with the event link to download these files. Available for 30 days.”, ② the Shareable link: field with the finished address, ③ Copy link. The footer below reads Available until 9/22/2026 and Downloaded 3 time(s) – that tells you whether the link has been used at all.

Caution

Only enable public sharing deliberately: anyone with the link downloads without signing in. The link expires automatically after 30 days, and the counter shows actual usage. For how guests download photos themselves, see Downloading photos.

Part C – Advanced download

Click Advanced Options in the top right to switch to advanced mode (route with ?mode=advanced). The area is headed Download Photos with the subtitle “Simple photo download with automatic organization”. Here you control exactly what and how things are packed in seven numbered steps. Every setting is reflected immediately in the live preview (step 7).

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The advanced download at a glance: folder structure, file names and filters control what goes into the ZIP and how. The sections below walk through the seven steps one by one.

1. How should we organize your photos?

Pick one of four folder structures (default: Single Folder):

• Single Folder – “All photos in one place”.
• By Photo Task – “Group photos by their category” (see Managing tasks).
• By Uploader – “Separate folders for each person”.
• By Album – “Keep album groups together” (see Creating albums).

The four cards in step 1 – exactly one is active, and the chosen one is filled in. ① Single Folder (the default): all photos sit side by side. ② By Photo Task: one folder per task. ③ By Uploader: one folder per person, named after their nickname. ④ By Album: one folder per album. This choice defines the folders; splitting by status (step 6) layers on top of it.

What else ends up in those folders

With By Photo Task and By Album, Photogala drops a small _info.txt into every folder – it holds the task description, or the album name and description. That way you still know months later what a folder stood for. Photos without a task land in General, photos without an album in No Album, and photos without an identifiable uploader in Unknown Uploader.

2. How should we name your files?

Four combinable checkboxes (default: original name and status prefix on):

• Keep original names – example: “IMG_1234.jpg”.
• Add status prefix – example: “PUBLISHED_…”.
• Add like count – example: “150-likes_…”.
• Add uploader name – example: “john-doe_…”.

Under Preview filename: you see a live example file name from your combination.

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The four checkboxes and below them the preview file name – here `published_original-filename.jpg` from status prefix plus original name. The preview is a fixed pattern: `original-filename` stands for the photo's real file name, `150-likes` for its actual like count and `john-doe` for the uploader's nickname.

What the names really look like in the archive

The preview is a pattern, and it differs from the finished archive in two ways:

• The order is different. In the ZIP the status prefix comes first, then the likes, then the uploader’s name, then the original name – so PUBLISHED_150-likes_lisa-mayer_IMG_1234.jpg. The preview, by contrast, puts likes and name before the status.
• The status prefix is always uppercase English: PUBLISHED_, PENDING_ or UNPUBLISHED_, in every interface language. The same goes for likes: in the file name they read 150-likes.

The original name is always kept – even if you untick Keep original names. That checkbox only changes the preview; the extras are prepended to the original name, never used in its place. So don’t rely on it to anonymize file names.

3. Generate description files?

The checkbox Generate description text files for images with user captions creates a .txt file next to each photo that has a caption – handy if you want to keep your guests’ captions. Default: off.

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① the single checkbox in step 3. It is off out of the box – if you want to keep your guests' captions, you have to tick it deliberately. The text file carries exactly the photo's name with a `.txt` ending (`PUBLISHED_IMG_1234.jpg` becomes `PUBLISHED_IMG_1234.txt`) and sits in the same folder. Photos without a caption get no file.

4. Include deleted photos from recycle bin?

Three selection cards (default: Exclude Deleted), each with a small tree preview and a count:

• Exclude Deleted – “Only include active photos (default)”.
• Include Deleted – “Include both active and deleted photos”, with the number of extra deleted photos.
• Only Deleted – “Only include photos from recycle bin”, with the count.

The three cards in step 4. ① Exclude Deleted is the default – the recycle bin stays out. ② Include Deleted takes both; the number below says how many photos that adds. ③ Only Deleted packs the recycle-bin contents and nothing else. Each card shows a small tree preview so you can see how the folders change.

This is the lifeline when someone deleted photos by accident: Only Deleted pulls the recycle-bin contents and nothing else. For what the recycle bin can otherwise do and how long it keeps things, see Recycle bin.

5. Which photos do you want?

Three checkboxes with live counters – this is where you select by publishing status (default: only Published on):

• Published – “N ready photos”.
• Unpublished – “N hidden photos”.
• Pending Approval – “N waiting photos”.

Watch out: unlike the simple download, not all three statuses are ticked here by default. For a true full backup, tick all three. The counter on the download button below updates live from these checkboxes and the recycle-bin filter.

Steps 4 and 5 side by side: the three recycle-bin cards on top with ‘Exclude Deleted’ as the default, below them the three status checkboxes – only ‘Published’ is ticked (23 ready photos), while ‘Unpublished’ and ‘Pending Approval’ stay empty. Step 6 and the structure preview start underneath.

6. Split by publishing status?

The checkbox Create separate folders for each status (default on) sorts photos into folders: “Photos will be organized into Published, Pending, and Unpublished folders”.

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① the Create separate folders for each status checkbox – unlike step 3, this one is on out of the box. Below it, Folder structure preview: shows what it does straight away: under `photos-download.zip` sits the folder `Published/` with the photos inside. The legend explains the colors – Status folder and Photo file.

What the status folders are called

The folder names follow the language you start the download in: Published, Pending, Unpublished and Deleted in English, Veröffentlicht, Ausstehend, Unveröffentlicht and Gelöscht in German. If you include deleted photos in step 4, they end up nested: Deleted/Published/, Deleted/Pending/ and so on – so you can keep them apart after unzipping. Unlike the status prefix in the file name, these folder names really are translated.

7. Download structure preview

An interactive, expandable folder tree (root: photos-download.zip) shows you live how the archive will look with your settings – “Based on your settings, your download will be organized like this:” plus the hint “(click folders to expand/collapse)”. The legend below explains the colors: Status folder, Grouping folder, Photo file, Description file (only when step 3 is active) and Deleted items (only when step 4 is not set to “Exclude Deleted”).

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The tree previews the finished archive; the button below names how many photos the current filters will pack.

Starting the advanced download

1. Check the preview. The button Download N Photos shows how many files will be packed with the current filters.

2. If no files remain with your filters, the button is disabled and you see “There are no downloadable files with the current filters!” – then loosen the filters.

3. Click Download N Photos. The note “ZIP files are automatically split at 1GB. Large videos may create bigger files.” reminds you of the 1 GB split.

4. The progress screen follows (Part B) – in advanced mode with an extra summary of your choices.

The advanced progress screen. ① the Selected Download Settings box with its six rows: Organization:, Filename Format:, Included Photos:, Description Files: (Yes/No), Recycle Bin: and Split by Status: (Yes/No) – handy for checking afterwards what you actually kicked off. ② the yellow note “Settings cannot be changed while a download is in progress …”: cancel first, then reconfigure.

The summary after a reload

The box reads its values from the form, not from the running request. Reload the page or come back later and it shows the defaults again – while the download keeps running with the settings you picked when you started it. When in doubt, trust the folder structure in the finished ZIP rather than this box.

Example

Full backup two weeks after the wedding — 312 photos, 8 albums. You want to archive everything, including the shots still sitting in moderation. So open the Advanced Options and walk through Part C:

1. By Album — that keeps your eight albums as folders.
2. Tick Keep original names and Add uploader name, switch Add status prefix off. Under Preview filename: you then see john-doe_original-filename.jpg – in the finished archive that becomes something like lisa-mayer_IMG_1234.jpg.
3. Turn description files on — every photo with a caption gets a .txt next to it, otherwise your guests’ captions are lost in the archive.
4. Leave Exclude Deleted as it is.
5. This is the trap: only Published is ticked by default. Add Unpublished and Pending Approval — otherwise the “full” backup is missing exactly those photos you have not approved yet.
6. Leave Create separate folders for each status on.

The tree in step 7 shows you the result up front, and the button now reads Download 312 Photos.

The rescue case: if someone deleted photos by accident, run a second pass and switch step 4 to Only Deleted — the ZIP then contains the recycle-bin contents only, without packing the other 312 again.

New-photos reminder

If you’ve downloaded before and new photos have arrived since, a yellow banner appears between the page header and the download card: “N new photos since your last download”. The line below spells out the numbers – “You previously downloaded N photos. Currently: X published, Y pending, Z unpublished.” – or, when no detail data from last time is available, just the total. Use the banner as a reminder to refresh your backup after new uploads; it only disappears once you have downloaded again.

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① the banner sits between the Photo Download page header and the download card – not at the very top of the window. The first line names how many photos are new, the second compares: how many you downloaded last time and how the gallery breaks down today. The status tiles below match those numbers.

Edge cases & troubleshooting

• Feature not in your plan: on non-branded events the page shows an upgrade prompt; on branded (white-label) events the menu item is hidden and a direct visit redirects to the dashboard. Fix: upgrade your plan, see Plans & upgrade.
• 0 photos / 0 filtered files: “No photos yet” or “There are no downloadable files with the current filters!” – wait for uploads or loosen the filters in advanced mode.
• Download hangs or takes long: large collections take time; progress arrives live via WebSocket, and you’re notified by email. If needed, stop with Cancel Download Request.
• Failed: reset with Clear Failed Request & Start Over; reduce the scope or filters if necessary.
• Settings can’t be changed: a download is still running. Cancel it or delete the generated ZIP first, then reconfigure.
• Photos missing from the advanced download: most likely only Published is ticked in step 5. Tick Unpublished and Pending Approval as well.
• New photos after the backup: the banner at the top reminds you – just run the download again.

Best-practice tips

• Back up in good time: download the backup before your event’s storage period ends (terms in the glossary).
• Full backup in advanced mode: tick all three statuses in step 5, add Include Deleted if needed, and Keep original names for unchanged file names.
• Per-guest attribution matters? Use By Uploader and/or Add uploader name.
• Want to keep the captions? Enable step 3 – captions land as .txt next to the photo.
• Enable public sharing only deliberately – the link grants access without a login and expires after 30 days.

Related pages

• Downloading photos (guests) and Select & download
• Slideshow – save individual photos straight from the slideshow
• Recycle bin · Creating albums · Managing tasks
• Plans & upgrade · Glossary