How to organise a photo and video archive
Build a useful folder structure, choose clear names and review duplicates carefully to make a growing photo and video collection easier to search.
A FileUSB guide · Practical usage notes
Start with a simple folder structure
Choose one organising principle: year followed by month or event, for example. Keeping a trip in its own event folder is clearer than placing hundreds of photos together. Avoid inventing a new rule at every folder level; use names someone else could understand too. Initially keeping files from different phones in separate source folders can make checking for omissions easier.
Names and original copies
A filename can include a date and a short description without exposing unnecessary personal information. Two files with the same name are not necessarily identical. Do not casually overwrite an original photo with an edited version. Distinguish original files from smaller copies prepared for sharing. Look at actual sizes: even a small number of videos may account for most of the space in a collection.
Review duplicates carefully
Do not perform bulk deletions based only on similar thumbnails. Resolution or content may differ. Download and examine a sample group, compare file digests if appropriate and remove only copies you know are unnecessary. Trash is not a permanent archive. Before cleaning up, verify an independent copy of the important group to reduce the consequences of choosing the wrong file.
Plan for sharing and growth
Selecting shareable files in a separate folder reduces the risk of accidentally exposing an entire private archive. Set an expiry on a sharing link and close it when finished. Collect photos from others into a separate incoming folder with FileDrop, then review and organise them. As the collection grows, measure total size and reconsider your storage choice. The aim is not to multiply every file, but to build a structure in which the right copy is easy to locate, verify and use.
Make room for your files
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