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Guide

Download a gallery on Windows

Open the link, download the ZIP, right-click, Extract All — and your photos are normal files. No account, no extra software, no sign-up.

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The whole job in four steps

  1. Open your gallery link

    Click the link your photographer sent you — it opens in your browser. No account, no app, no sign-up. If the gallery is password-protected, enter the password your photographer gave you.

  2. Download the ZIP

    Click the download-all or ZIP button on the gallery. A download pop-up appears near the top of Edge or Chrome; press Ctrl+J anytime to see progress.

  3. Extract All

    Open File Explorer, go to Downloads, right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All.... On Windows 11, click Show more options first if you don't see it. Click Extract in the wizard.

  4. View your photos

    The wizard opens a folder with your photos when it finishes. Double-click any photo to view it in the Windows Photos app.

Where the download lands

When you start the download in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, a download pop-up appears near the top of your browser window. If you miss it, press Ctrl+J on your keyboard to open your browser's downloads list and see the file.

Windows automatically places the file in your Downloads folder. You can find this at any time by opening File Explorer and clicking Downloads in the left sidebar under Quick access.

Extracting the ZIP

To unpack your photos, right-click the downloaded ZIP file and select Extract All.... If you are on Windows 11 and do not see this option right away, click Show more options first. A small wizard will appear. By default, it creates a new folder with the ZIP file's name in your Downloads folder and opens it when finished. Click Extract to begin.

You can also double-click a ZIP file in File Explorer to peek inside and drag individual files out. For a whole set of photos, using Extract All... is the reliable route.

After extraction

After extraction, your photos are normal files on your computer. Double-click any photo to view it in the built-in Windows Photos app. The extracted folder is safe to move wherever you like, such as your Pictures folder or Desktop, and you can delete the original ZIP file once the extraction finishes.

Common questions

Where did my download go?

Check your Downloads folder. In File Explorer, look at the left sidebar under Quick access and click Downloads. If you are still in your browser, press Ctrl+J in Edge or Chrome to see your recent downloads, then click the folder icon next to the file to jump directly to it.

I don't see a download-all button — why?

A gallery can offer individual photo downloads, a download-all ZIP of the original photos, or a JPEG ZIP. Each option appears only if your photographer enabled it. If you do not see a button to download everything at once, your photographer did not turn that option on for your link.

Do I need extra software to open a ZIP on Windows?

No. Windows has ZIP support built directly into the operating system. You do not need to install or buy third-party tools. Simply right-click the file and click Extract All... to open it.

My download is slow or keeps failing. What helps?

Gallery files can be large, so make sure your computer has a stable internet connection. Keep your browser tab open while the file downloads, and avoid running other large downloads at the same time. If a download drops, return to the gallery link and start the download again.

On a Mac instead? See downloading a gallery on Mac. Reading this as a photographer? You can deliver your own sets the same way with shoots.page photo delivery.