As a born cynic, I do not like it when things are "retired". Usually what replaces it is less good.
Back
in 2014, we announced our intention to retire Panoramio in order to
invest our efforts into improving photo-sharing experiences directly
inside Google Maps. In response to your feedback, we postponed these
plans and worked to add features to Maps that better support the level
of engagement that you have enjoyed with Panoramio. Today, with photo upload tools in Google Maps and our Local Guides program, we are providing easy options for you to share your photos with an active and growing community. As such, we’ve decided to now close
down Panoramio. To make this transition easier, we’ll provide several
options to continue sharing photos through other services. If you
choose, you can also export all your data and take it somewhere else.
Because you have linked your Panoramio profile with a Google account, all your Panoramio photos will be copied to the Google Album Archive at full resolution after Panoramio goes away. These copied photos will not use any of your Google storage quota. However, unless you upgrade to a Google+ account,
your Panoramio photos will stop appearing in Google Maps. This is
because Panoramio nicknames will no longer be supported, and all other
photos in Maps are attributed to Google+ user names.
After
November 4, 2016, you’ll continue to have access to your photos in
Panoramio for a year, but you will no longer be able to add new photos,
likes, or comments. Below, we’ve included resources to help you manage or export your data. You can visit your Panoramio profile to see what photos you've added. If you have already linked your profile with a Google account, your Panoramio data will automatically be saved.
1) Keep your photos in Album Archive
Because you have a Google account linked with your Panoramio account, we will automatically copy your Panoramio photos to the Google Album Archive when Panoramio is retired in November 2017.
- Copied photos will not use any of your Google storage quota.
- If you activate Google+ on your account, then eligible images and your View Counts will be transferred into Google Maps and will be visible when you sign in to Maps and access the Contributions screen from the main menu.
2) Export your photos to a local zip file
Visit takeout.google.com and follow the instructions there.
3) Become a Local Guide to keep contributing
To keep adding photos to Google Maps and engage with a growing community of photographers, join the Local Guides program.
You can earn points and unlock rewards for photos submitted with a
Google account when they are linked to a point of interest or business. Many of your Panoramio photos may already be counted.
- You can delete your Panoramio account (and photos) immediately by logging in, opening "Settings", and clicking the "Delete your account" option. You can also navigate to this page directly by using this link.
- If you delete any photos (or delete your entire account) before Panoramio is retired in November 2017, that content will not be automatically copied to the Google Album Archive and will stop appearing in Google Maps.
Please see our Help Center article for
more information and the various options you have to save, transfer, or
delete your content. We’ve appreciated your contributions over the
years and hope you will continue to share amazing photos with the world.
Thank you,
The Panoramio team
