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Migrate from other services ​

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

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

This guide will help you choose the right migration method for your situation.

Which method should I use? ​

Migrating from cloud services ​

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

Migrating from local storage ​

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

How migration works ​

All migration methods work by importing your photos into Ente while preserving:

  • Original photo quality (no compression)
  • Creation dates and timestamps
  • Folder/album organization (when possible)
  • Photo metadata

The migration 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 import, depending on your library size and internet speed
  • Storage: Ensure you have enough storage space in your Ente plan before starting
  • Duplicates: Ente automatically detects and handles duplicate photos during import

Tips for a smooth migration ​

  1. Start with a small batch - Try importing a small folder first to familiarize yourself with the process
  2. Check your storage - Make sure you have enough storage space in your Ente plan for all your photos
  3. Use desktop for large libraries - The desktop app is faster for importing large photo collections
  4. Keep originals until verified - Don't delete your original photos until you've confirmed everything imported correctly

Next steps ​

Once your photos are imported into Ente: