Technologies

How to Save Your Photos From Google Album Archive Before They’re Deleted

Google says all media in Album Archive will disappear on July 19.

Never heard of Google Album Archive? You’re not alone. Though Album Archive might not be a household name, it could be harboring some of your photos and videos, and Google plans to delete them all in only a few weeks.

Google Album Archive is a catchall destination for older media you’ve shared on various Google services that generally isn’t stored elsewhere. Google contacted users on June 18 to let them know that Album Archive will be shutting down on July 19, 2023. You’ve got until that date to use Google Takeout to export any files you’d like to keep.

Not sure what media of yours is in Google Album Archive or how to use Google Takeout? Have no fear — we’ll show you everything you need to know to keep from losing those old photos and videos. For more, here’s what’s new in Google Maps and how to check out the next version of Android.

What is Google Album Archive?

Google Album Archive is a repository for photos and videos that you’ve shared on older Google services like Hangouts (now Google Chat) or Google Plus. It can also include media from Blogger and Picasa Web Albums, old profile pictures, YouTube channel art or automated backups.

Some of the images and videos in Album Archive are also available in Google Photos, Blogger and Google Chat, but others exist only in Album Archive. On July 19, 2023, Google will be eliminating Album Archive and deleting the files in it.

How do I save my photos and videos from Google Album Archive?

screenshot of Google Takeout step for selecting which data to export

To save your media from Google Album Archive before it’s deleted, Google recommends using Google Takeout, the company’s tool for exporting data. A customized Google Takeout link will take you directly to a page for downloading your Album Archive data.

In Step 1, make sure that the checkbox next to «AlbumArchive» is selected, and then click the blue «Next Step» button to progress to Step 2.

Now you’ll need to decide where you want your files to go. You can either receive a ZIP or TGZ file via email, or upload your files directly to another storage service, like Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive or Box. Once you’ve made your selections, click the blue «Create export» button to start downloading.

You’ll then receive a verification message that Google has started exporting your data and that the «process can take a long time (possibly hours or days) to complete.» You’ll receive an email when it’s complete.

I had only about 5MB of photos in my Album Archive, and I received a confirmation email from Google within 2 minutes that the process was complete. You can then use Google Takeout to download the ZIP or TGZ file directly, or manage your files on the storage service you selected.

Important note: The Google Takeout link to download your data will work only for 7 days. If you wait longer than that, you’ll need to start the Takeout process over again.

a screenshot of the Google Takeout screen for managing exporting data

Google’s email to users varied slightly from its messaging on the Album Archive page, so it isn’t entirely clear which photos and videos may be available in the future on various Google services. Take a look at the files you’ve got in Album Archive, and download anything you want to keep by July 19, 2023, to be sure you don’t lose it.

For more on Google, check out how its new AI search tool works, or see how Google Shopping now lets you try on clothes virtually.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for Dec. 31, #1656

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for Dec. 31, No. 1,656.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

End the year with a Wordle win. Today’s Wordle puzzle isn’t terribly tough. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with S.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with N.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a device that makes a loud, long-lasting sound as some kind of signal or warning.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is SIREN.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, Dec. 30, No. 1,655 was DECOR.

Recent Wordle answers

Dec. 26, No. 1651: SPEED

Dec. 27, No. 1652: BATCH

Dec. 28, No 1653: ABBOT

Dec. 29, No. 1654: FRUIT

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Dec. 31, #934

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Dec. 31, No. 934.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle has a tough purple category once again. But the yellow group is very timely, and pretty easy. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Here comes 2026!

Green group hint: Where is it?

Blue group hint: Pennsylvania city.

Purple group hint: Waves.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Happy New Year!

Green group: Places where things disappear.

Blue group: Associated with Philadelphia.

Purple group: Starting with bodies of water.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is Happy New Year! The four answers are ball drop, champagne flute, fireworks and noisemaker.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is places where things disappear. The four answers are Bermuda Triangle, black hole, couch cushions and dryer.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with Philadelphia. The four answers are brotherly love, cheesesteak, Liberty Bell and Rocky.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starting with bodies of water. The four answers are bay leaf, channel surf, sea bass and sound barrier.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Technologies

Samsung’s $200 Galaxy A17 Brings Google’s Circle to Search to Its Lower-Priced Phone

While the AI features are nice to see at the lower price, the Galaxy A17 otherwise looks very similar to the phone it’s replacing.

Samsung’s $200 Galaxy A17 5G, announced Tuesday, appears to be a smaller hardware refresh for the company’s lower-cost phone — bearing many similarities to the Galaxy A16 that it will replace. However, Samsung notes that the A17 will have access to several AI features, including Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini assistant.

Even though both of those AI features are becoming common on all phones running Android 16 (Motorola’s sub-$200 phones also include them), the Galaxy A17 might become one of the broadest ways that Circle to Search and Gemini reach new audiences. That’s because Samsung’s $200 phone is typically one of the few non-Apple devices to consistently top sales charts in the US, for instance, the $200 Galaxy A16 currently ranks fifth on Counterpoint Research’s list behind Apple’s iPhone 16 and iPhone 17.

Similar to the Galaxy A16, the A17 will have a 6.7-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, an IP54 rating for water and dust resistance (can withstand splashes but still avoid submerging the phone) and is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 1330 processor. The cameras are also the same, including a 50-megapixel wide camera, a 5-megapixel ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. Around the front is a 13-megapixel selfie camera.

The Galaxy A17 will also include a 5,000-mAh battery, 25-watt wired charging, 4GB of RAM with 128GB of onboard storage, the option to expand with a microSD card and will receive six years of software as well as security updates. That support period is quite notable for phones sold in the $200 range, as most phones that cost $200 get two to three years of updates.

The Galaxy A17 goes on sale in the US starting Jan. 7, and will come in blue, black and gray models.