Level 1

25 points

Google Photos video download not working.

I have a Google Photos Account, my video files can't be read, both MP4 or MOV - this has started happening in the last month, I have a MacBook Air. My friends with Apple equipment have said the same thing is happening to them as well. I have contacted Apple and Google but no solution has been found. It seems I'm stuck between two big companies each suggesting it's the other that's to blame, and no apparent action being taken to fix the problem.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.0

Posted on Oct 11, 2023 2:06 AM

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Googlemac2

Level 1

10 points

Posted on Dec 15, 2023 8:27 PM

Thanks for posting this. I just came across the same issue and wish I came across this post earlier. Ive been on the phone with both Google (Google one subscription) and Apple. I had no problems preview/QuickTime player videos I downloaded before from Google photos before. Then sometime in the past couple of months, the videos that I download are converted to a MP4 with codex vp09. Apple says they don't read this format and we can use handbrake to change videos to a format they can read. This is disappointing as final cut pro, adobe premiere, media encoder, preview, QuickTime etc all won't recognize the video. It is possible to download the video from the phone directly and not upload to Google photos and then redownload and that way the originally mp4 with codex hevc will still work. So the comments that if we change video quality to original is true but the downside is then you are having to spend more money buying more data for Google one storage in order to be able to view your files on a Mac. Hopefully Google can change back to another codec format vs Apple adds vp09 as a recognizable format of video.

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46 replies

ravalde Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 11, 2023 7:39 AM in response to Matti Haveri

Ive just about had it with them to be honest, they haven't been helpful at all, and Im paying them for a Google One subscription, a subscription I was forced into because they withdrew the FREE storage feature.

Oct 11, 2023 7:46 AM in response to ravalde

I do not like some Google Photos features either (a while back it moved image descriptions to a less visible location etc). But as it is free (with ads) with modest storage, I can not complain very loudly.

SeeJaneB

Level 1

14 points

Nov 16, 2023 8:33 PM in response to ravalde

Are there any updates on this issue between Google and Apple? I recently discovered this issue, as well. I use the storage saver option, also subscribe to the extra space for Google storage. All of the videos I download from Google Photos will not play in Finder or if I open them with QuickTime.

When you mention that you bluetooth the video directly from your phone to your Mac, how are you doing this? I'm thinking I could use this workaround since the video was taken on my Pixel phone in the first place and I just want to transfer it to my computer.

ravalde Author

Level 1

25 points

Dec 15, 2023 9:00 PM in response to Googlemac2

Thanks, Ive just kind of excepted it, I usually just Bluetooth the file from my Google pixel to my mac. I do switch storage saver off and upload as well, I usually shoot in 1080 so Im guessing my storage hasn't been to badly effected. Apple did try and help me, but Google just blanked me to be honest. Trouble is I find Google Photos so useful for my clients to view and share my work. Plus it works so well with my Pixel phone.

Djriosl

Level 1

9 points

Dec 28, 2023 10:11 AM in response to SeeJaneB

It seems like the video you linked isn't to the video you are referring to.

Regardless, I was going to change my video setting like you mentioned and see if that would solve the problem, but it was already switched OFF for "Storage Saver" on my Pixel Camera Settings.

So that's not the issue for me. Whenever I download videos from Google Photos that were uploaded with my Pixel, I cannot open or view them on my Mac.

Djriosl

Level 1

9 points

Dec 28, 2023 10:29 AM in response to SeeJaneB

This is how to transfer from Android to Mac through Bluetooth: https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-transfer-files-between-mac-android-using-bluetooth/

And this is how you can transfer with a USB Cable: https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/2840804?hl=en#zippy=%2Cmac-computer

Dec 28, 2023 9:03 PM in response to sparkelle22

@sparkelle, what is the 3rd party app you use to convert videos?

@Ravalde, I switched to original format and still having the same issue of Quicktime and my Screenflow Editing software unable to open the file...any other workarounds for this?

Oct 11, 2023 3:06 AM in response to ravalde

FWIW Google Photos (including downloading a video from there) works OK for me (macOS 13.6, MBP 2017).

Oct 11, 2023 6:27 AM in response to ravalde

Thanks for the info. I have always used the original quality setting. I wonder what glitch there might be in the storage saver option.

Oct 30, 2023 11:11 PM in response to ravalde

hmm not obvious how to delete my response here. so here it stays

ravalde Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 30, 2023 11:37 PM in response to mickeyDreamz

FCP wont read the files for me.

SamG5

Level 1

8 points

Feb 28, 2024 5:23 PM in response to Googlemac2

I'm having this same problem... Would you mind posting your Handbrake settings that worked to resolve this problem? Thanks.

Feb 29, 2024 10:48 PM in response to SamG5

Summary tab: Format mp4

Video: H.264(x264)

Audio: AAC (CoreAudio)

I think the other ones may also work but just tried that and it seemed to work

Jul 5, 2024 10:41 PM in response to rowemantic

Thank you so much i downloaded focus video and it worked . God bless you. Ive been at this for 4 hours trying to find a solution.

ravalde Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 16, 2024 7:42 AM in response to alana003vr

Its google photos app, we have the problem with.

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Google Photos video download not working.