Google Photos finally has a fix for its vexing ZIP file bug

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Google has fixed a Photos bug that caused ZIP files larger than 4 GB to be created incorrectly.
• New downloads should now work, regardless of size.
• Affected users can either re‑download their content or use Google’s repair tool.

Issue

Google Photos users have been encountering a problem when downloading large archives of pictures and videos on a PC. The bug, linked to Google One Storage Manager, caused ZIP file downloads larger than 4 GB to become corrupted, making them impossible to open.

Fix

In a post on the Photos support page (via PiunikaWeb), Google announced:

“Our engineering teams have identified the cause and have fixed this bug.”

The company added an apology: “We are very sorry for the trouble and concern this may have caused.” New downloads using Storage Manager should now work for any file size.

Recovery Options

If you were affected, you have two ways to recover your content:

1. Re‑download the archive using the Storage Manager.
2. Use Google’s new repair tool to fix the corrupted ZIP file.
   • Note: The repair tool will be available only until June 1, 2027.