Switching from Pixieset
Leaving Pixieset? Take your collections.
Pixieset is a popular choice and nothing here says you should leave it. If you are moving, this is how to bring collections to Semuko with their sets intact.
The importer reads zip files you download, or folders you already have on a drive. It does not sign in to another platform or copy anything from it.
What to know
How Pixieset downloads work
Checked October 21, 2026.
Download like a client would
Pixieset’s help center says you can download photos from your own collection the same way clients do: the Download icon, an email (and PIN if set), then choose sets, size and destination and Start Download.Pick the largest size
Pixieset lists Web sizes, High Resolution (3600px) and Original Size. Check the collection’s download settings so Original is available before you download.Big collections come in parts
Pixieset notes that very large collections may be split into several zip files. Semuko combines parts with the same name into one gallery.
Sources:Pixieset: download experience(opens in a new tab)Pixieset: download sizes(opens in a new tab)
How to move
Move to Semuko in three steps
Download each collection at original size
Use the collection download with all sets selected and the largest size. Keep every zip part.Start a trial and pick where originals live
Start a 30-day trial (no credit card). Keep the default Semuko storage or connect your own bucket first, so originals land there from the start.Drop the files into Galleries > Import
Each zip or top folder becomes a gallery and its subfolders become sets. Dates come from the folder name or the photos. Check the titles, match clients (by name, or from a CSV of names and emails), and import. Galleries are created as drafts until you publish them.
Why bring your own storage
Your archive, in an account you control
Your originals stay in your bucket
Connect your own S3-compatible storage: AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Cloudflare R2, Wasabi or IDrive e2. Original files are written to a bucket in your account, not ours.No platform shutdown can take them
Because the bucket is yours, your originals do not depend on any gallery company staying in business, Semuko included. You can open them with your storage provider’s own tools at any time.Galleries keep working if a bucket has trouble
Semuko also keeps the display-size copies clients browse on its own private storage, so a gallery still opens if your bucket is briefly unreachable. Semuko checks connected buckets and tells you when one needs attention.Or use Semuko storage
Bringing your own bucket is optional. Semuko storage is the default, and you can connect a bucket later.
FAQ
Switching from Pixieset: questions
Does Semuko connect to Pixieset?
No. You download each collection from Pixieset as zip files and the importer reads them. Semuko does not sign in to Pixieset.
My collection downloaded as several zips. Is that a problem?
No. Drop all the parts together. Parts that share a name are combined into one gallery, and duplicate file names keep the larger copy.
How does the importer decide what is a gallery and what is a set?
Each zip file or top folder is one gallery, and its subfolders become sets. Several zip parts with the same name are combined. The gallery date comes from a date in the folder name, or else from the earliest photo date. System files such as .DS_Store, __MACOSX and Thumbs.db are ignored.
Do client favorites, comments and passwords come across?
No. A download contains the photos and their folders, so that is what the importer brings in. Set passwords, download options and expiry dates on each gallery in Semuko, and send clients the new link when you publish.
What if my browser closes during a large import?
Open Import again and pick the same files. The importer remembers what already uploaded in that browser and skips it.
Do I need my own storage bucket?
No. Semuko storage is the default. Connecting your own S3-compatible bucket is optional and means your originals live in an account you control.
Try it
Try Semuko Galleries with a few collections
Start a 30-day trial with no credit card, ask us to turn on Galleries, and import a collection or two to see how it looks.
Other switching guides:Pass+ShootProofPic-Time
Semuko is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Pixieset. Their names are used only to describe moving galleries from their services; trademarks belong to their owners.