All your photos, finally not a mess.
GenPhoto is a free Windows app that grabs all your scattered photos from disks, phones and old backups and turns them into a clean, date-based archive with no duplicates and zero cloud dependency.
Download the installer (recommended) on your Windows PC and run the file.
About antivirus warnings (read this)
GenPhoto is a small independent app. We don't pay for expensive code-signing certificates, so some antivirus tools might show a generic warning like "unknown publisher" or "this file is rarely downloaded".
This does not mean the app is dangerous. It only means: "This is new and not from a big company". The executable is built clean, locally tested and does not connect anywhere except where you ask it to.
- No hidden installers, no browser toolbars, no miners.
- No automatic uploads to the cloud.
- You can always scan the file with multiple online scanners if you like.
How GenPhoto works
1. You choose one or more folders or drives where your photos are hiding: old backups, phone exports, "Pictures", external disks, etc.
2. GenPhoto reads the dates from the files (EXIF when possible, otherwise file date) and
creates an organized tree like 2024\2024-08\2024-08-15\.
3. When it finds duplicates, it keeps only one copy (according to the rules you choose) so you don't waste space on clones of the same photo.
4. At the end you get a clean archive you can put on a USB disk, NAS, or simply keep on your PC – ready for backup, viewing or sharing.
Who is GenPhoto for?
GenPhoto is perfect if you:
- Have thousands of photos scattered across old disks, USB drives, phones and backups.
- Want a simple Windows tool to organize everything by date without learning complex photo managers.
- Prefer to keep your memories on your own disks instead of uploading them to the cloud.
- Need an easy way to move photos from your Android phone to your PC via WiFi.
- Are looking for a free, privacy-friendly alternative to cloud photo services.
GenPhoto for Android
Transfer photos from your phone to your PC via WiFi. No cables, no cloud, direct connection on your local network.
How it works:
- In GenPhoto PC, click the Phone button (next to Select)
- A QR code will appear on screen
- Open the GenPhoto app on your Android phone
- Grant camera permission and scan the QR code
- Phone and PC connect directly via WiFi (same network required)
- Grant full permissions (important) to read media files
- Tap the button to select individual photos/videos or the button for folders
- After selecting files or folders, tap Send — on PC you'll see confirmation of received files
- On PC, choose the destination folder
- On PC, choose Safe Copy (recommended) or Fast Copy
- On your phone, decide whether to delete the transferred files (only if you're sure the copy succeeded)
Important: To install the APK, you need to enable "Install from unknown sources" in your Android settings. This is normal for apps not from Google Play.
Tap to enlarge
Why we care about free software and your freedom
GenPhoto is built around a simple idea: your photos are pieces of your life, not "content" to be harvested. We like the free software philosophy: small tools, understandable behavior, no dark patterns.
That's why we don't lock you into an account, a subscription or a platform. The output is just normal folders and files. If one day you stop using GenPhoto, your archive is still there, readable by any operating system, any viewer, any backup tool.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is GenPhoto and what problem does it solve?
GenPhoto helps you reorganize all your scattered photos and videos from hard drives, old phones, USB sticks and SD cards — even if there are duplicates. You place everything into one temporary folder (your Source Folder) and choose a clean Destination Folder (for example an external drive where you want to store your final photo archive). When you press Safe Copy, GenPhoto processes all files, moves them into the destination, and creates a clean structure organized by year → month, automatically removing duplicates.
Is GenPhoto really free?
Yes. GenPhoto is completely free to use. There are no subscriptions, no accounts, no hidden upgrades. You can download it, run it and keep using it without paying anything.
Does GenPhoto upload my photos to the cloud?
No. GenPhoto works only on your own disks and local network. It does not upload anything to the cloud and does not connect to any external server unless you ask it to communicate with your phone on your WiFi.
Does GenPhoto delete any files?
No. GenPhoto never deletes anything unless you manually request it. The program focuses on organizing and safely copying your files — not removing them.
What happens if I later find new folders full of photos or videos?
Nothing complicated. Simply use the same Destination Folder and press Safe Copy again. GenPhoto compares all new files with what's already inside the destination and only copies what is missing — placing everything in its correct date-based folder. No duplicates, no manual sorting.
Is Safe Copy slow?
It depends on your hardware and on how many files you have. Safe Copy is slower by design because it compares every new file with what already exists in the destination to avoid duplicates. If you have thousands of photos or multiple drives, it's recommended to let GenPhoto run in the background while you continue using your PC normally.
Why does my antivirus warn me about GenPhoto?
Because GenPhoto is a small independent app with no expensive code-signing certificate. Some antivirus tools show a generic warning like "unknown publisher" for new files that are not widely downloaded yet. This does not mean the app is dangerous. You can always scan it with multiple antivirus tools if you want.
Can I use GenPhoto with a NAS or external disk?
Yes. You can choose folders from internal disks, external USB drives or NAS shares. At the end, the organized archive can also be stored on a NAS or external drive for easier backup and sharing.
What does the Android app do exactly?
The Android app is designed for two main purposes: Transfer photos and videos from your phone to your PC over WiFi, without cloud services. And help you clean your phone by identifying and copying secondary folders that contain forgotten or unused photos and videos. The Android app sends everything to GenPhoto PC, which then organizes the files into the same date-based archive used by the Windows version.
How does the Android app connect to GenPhoto on PC?
The phone connects to your PC using a QR code: Open GenPhoto on your PC, scan the QR code from the Android app, choose what to send (folders, images, videos). Everything gets transferred to a temporary folder on your PC and later organized with Safe Copy. At the end of the process, the phone asks if you want to delete the copied files — you decide.
Can the Android app clean my phone?
Yes — with user confirmation. Android devices contain many hidden or secondary folders created by apps, messengers, social networks and downloaded images. Most of them are not synchronized by Google Photos. The app lets you: Select the folders you want to examine, transfer them to your PC, review everything comfortably on a large screen, and optionally delete those files from your phone once you are sure they've been copied correctly.
How can I use GenPhoto Android to free space on my phone?
Your Android device contains many folders that are not part of Google Photos' synchronization — examples include: WhatsApp images, Messenger images, Telegram media, downloaded social media pictures, app cache folders, temporary media, screenshots from some third-party apps, video editing app exports. These folders often accumulate thousands of forgotten files. GenPhoto Android lets you identify these folders, transfer them safely to your PC, decide what to keep, and delete the unnecessary files from your phone.
What does Google Photos synchronization have to do with cleaning my device?
If a folder is synchronized with Google Photos and you delete a file locally, Google Photos will restore it on your device. This is normal behavior for synced content. GenPhoto cannot bypass Google's sync mechanism.
So how do I delete photos that are synchronized with Google Photos?
You must delete them directly inside Google Photos, not from the file system. GenPhoto's purpose is to help you organize and clean non-synced media on your device.
What if I never used Google Photos?
Then everything is much easier. If synchronization was never enabled, GenPhoto can copy and delete files from your phone without any risk of automatic restoration by Google Photos.
Can I copy photos and videos that are not synchronized, and then delete them from my phone?
Absolutely yes. Most Android devices contain many non-synced folders that take up a huge amount of space. GenPhoto is specifically designed to help you manage and clean these folders safely.
Which Android folders usually contain photos that I can remove?
Always check before deleting — but typical candidates include: Android/media/… (various apps), Pictures/Social, Pictures/Messenger, WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Video, Telegram/Telegram Images, DCIM/.thumbnails, Download, Screenshots (only if not synced), cached media from editing apps. A full folder map is available by clicking the "Android folder map" button above.