Use Google Maps Photo Gallery Extractor by Category with Python

Collect public photos and videos from Google Maps places by URL, Place ID, feature ID, CID or search query. Each row carries the image and video links, dimensions, contributor, upload date, owner/visitor flag and place context.

1. Choose the data you need

Review the published README for supported collection modes, examples, and limits. The recipe below uses the current published input definition.

2. Prepare a source-based input

This JSON contains published prefills and required-field defaults. Review every value for your task before running it; it is not a promise of successful collection.

{
  "enrichDetails": false,
  "imageSize": "original",
  "language": "en",
  "maxPhotos": 1,
  "maxPlacesPerQuery": 3,
  "minHeight": 0,
  "minWidth": 0,
  "mode": "place",
  "photoCategory": "all",
  "placeUrls": [
    "https://www.google.com/maps/place/Empire+State+Building/@40.7484405,-73.9878584,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c259a9b3117469:0xd134e199a405a163!8m2!3d40.7484405!4d-73.9878584!16zL20vMDJfMjg2"
  ],
  "searchQueries": []
}

Download input.example.json and save your reviewed copy as input.json.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`mode`	string	required	Choose whether to read photos for specific places or to search for places first.
`placeUrls`	array	optional	Google Maps place links, share links, Place IDs (ChIJ...), feature IDs (0x...:0x...), numeric CIDs, or business names. Used when mode is place.
`searchQueries`	array	optional	Places to find, for example "coffee shops in New York". Include a city or area for precise matches. Used when mode is search.
`maxPlacesPerQuery`	integer	optional	Maximum number of places to take from each search query (1-100).
`maxPhotos`	integer	optional	Maximum number of photos and videos to return for each place (1-10000). The actor stops earlier when Google's public sample ends.
`photoCategory`	string	optional	Choose which media to return. Owner and visitor filters read each photo's public contributor and only return media whose owner/visitor status is known.
`enrichDetails`	boolean	optional	Read the contributor name and profile, exact upload date, caption, video download link and video length when Google publishes them.
`language`	string	optional	Language for place names, categories and dates.
`imageSize`	string	optional	Resolution for the main photo URL. Thumbnail is about 200 px, medium about 800 px, large about 1600 px, original is the largest Google serves.
`minWidth`	integer	optional	Drop media narrower than this. Set to 0 to keep every width.
`minHeight`	integer	optional	Drop media shorter than this. Set to 0 to keep every height.

3. Start an Actor run

Set APIFY_TOKEN in your environment. Python 3.10 or newer is sufficient; this recipe uses no third-party packages.

Execution may incur charges. Review current pricing on Apify. The request asks for a 120-second timeout and a charge limit; these settings are subject to Apify’s pricing and do not guarantee an all-inclusive spending cap.

import json
import os
import urllib.request

# Save the schema-derived example as input.json; review and edit it first.
with open("input.json", encoding="utf-8") as stream:
    actor_input = json.load(stream)

token = os.environ["APIFY_TOKEN"]
request = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/K7DeeVzu6Yf2lSKbO/runs?timeout=120&maxTotalChargeUsd=0.50",
    data=json.dumps(actor_input).encode("utf-8"),
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + token, "Content-Type": "application/json"},
    method="POST",
)
# This starts a potentially billable run. Do not automatically retry this POST.
with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=40) as response:
    run = json.load(response)["data"]
print("Run ID:", run["id"])
print("Status:", run["status"])
# Inspect and download results in Apify Console once the run succeeds.

4. Inspect the actual results

Open the run in Apify Console and wait for a successful completion. Use the published output schema to locate results and the dataset schema to understand declared views. Missing or optional record fields must not be treated as guaranteed values.

Dataset of public Google Maps media. Each row has recordType set to photo, video or streetView, plus contributor, upload date, dimensions, owner flags, place context and per-place completeness metadata.

Questions before you run

Which inputs are required?

The published required fields are mode

What does this guide verify?

The fields, prefills, and schema links are rendered from the published build. This is a usage recipe, not a paid live extraction test. Source availability and collection results can vary.

What if the run request times out?

Check Apify Console before retrying. The first request may already have created a run. Do not automatically repeat a run-creation POST.

Open on Apify Full Actor reference

Generated from source build cYQlSn4t4DflRaSm3 and its README and schemas. Source changes regenerate this guide; no third-party editorial claims are inferred.