Adding pictures to Google Photos seems straightforward, but some nuances can lead to unexpected results. Let’s explore how to add photos correctly, avoiding common pitfalls like unintentional duplicates.
Understanding the Issue: Copying vs. Adding
The core problem lies in the difference between copying and adding photos to albums. Ideally, you want to add existing photos to an album without creating new copies. However, using commands like rclone move with Google Photos can sometimes result in duplicated images. This is evident when:
- Uploaded Source Differs: The copied photo in the album shows “Uploaded from rclone,” while the original indicates “Uploaded from iOS” (or your original upload source).
- File Size Discrepancy: The copied photo has a smaller file size than the original, suggesting compression or quality reduction during the copy process.
- Missing Metadata: The copied photo lacks metadata like GPS information present in the original.
Three photos, two originals and one copy, demonstrating the differences in file size, upload source, and GPS data when using rclone to move photos to a Google Photos album.
Why Does This Happen?
The inconsistent behavior of rclone move with Google Photos stems from how the Google Photos API handles file operations. There isn’t a direct “add to album” function. rclone move attempts to mimic this by copying the photo into the album. Sometimes, it successfully adds the existing photo; other times, it creates a new copy. The exact triggers for this inconsistency remain unclear.
Solutions and Workarounds
Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed solution to force rclone to consistently add photos without copying. The rclone copy command is not a viable alternative as it will always create a copy. The root cause lies within the limitations of the Google Photos API.
Potential Workarounds:
- rclone copyto: While not ideal, using
rclone copytofollowed by manually deleting the source file if the copy was successful can be a workaround. Be extremely cautious with this approach to avoid data loss. Always ensure backups are in place. - Google Photos Web Interface: The most reliable way to add pictures to Google Photos albums without creating duplicates is through the web interface or the official Google Photos apps. This method guarantees the preservation of original quality and metadata.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Approach
While rclone offers powerful file management capabilities, its limitations with the Google Photos API make it unreliable for adding photos to albums without creating copies. For consistent results, use the Google Photos web interface or app. If you must use rclone, understand the risks of potential duplication and consider using rclone copyto with extreme caution and manual cleanup. Prioritize data integrity and ensure you have backups before attempting any command-line operations that could lead to data loss.
