If you’re jumping ships from iOS to Android or want more free storage (5GB iCloud vs 15GB Google), you’ll be interested in learning about Apple’s new tool that lets you easily Google your iCloud photos Allows transfer to photos. So, without further ado, to show me how to do it.
- Apple’s new tool for transferring iCloud photos to Google Photos
- Basic requirements
- How to transfer your photos and videos from iCloud to Google Photos
- Questions to ask
- Another way to transfer your iCloud photos to Google Photos.
Apple’s new tool for transferring iCloud photos to Google Photos
In March 2021, Apple launched its new tool to transfer a copy of its iCloud photos to another service such as Google Photos. Before doing so, it is important to know the basic requirements.
Basic requirements
- Make sure you are using iCloud Photos (obviously). You can check it on your iPhone by looking at Settings app → Photos → See if ICLOUD Photo is enabled.
- You must have two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID.
- You must have a Google Account.
- Make sure you have enough free storage available in your Google account.
How to transfer your photos and videos from iCloud to Google Photos
- Go to privacy.apple.com and then sign in with Apple ID.
- Under Transfer a copy of your photos and videos, select Google Photos. In the future, more services may be supported.
- Check what you want to move – photo, video, or both.
- Follow simple on-screen prompts.
- If asked, sign in to your Google account.
- The transfer process will begin. Apple will notify you of your transfer request via email. You will also receive an email upon completion of the transfer (in 3 to 7 days).
I have also tried to cover the most frequently asked questions to answer all your related questions.
FAQ
Q. Are iCloud photos available everywhere in the Google Photos Transfer service?
No. Currently, it is only available in Australia, Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Q. Does the transfer of pictures and videos from iCloud Photos to Google Photos change anything at the original source?
Through this service, a copy of your iCloud photo content is sent to Google Photos. Nothing in the iCloud photos has been modified. They will remain as they are.
Q. How long does it take to transfer photos from iCloud Photos to Google Photos?
Q. Are all photo and video formats supported?
Supported file formats include .jpg, .png, .webp, .gif, some raw files, .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv.
Please note that pictures and videos stored in iCloud Photos are transferred to original or popular industry-standard formats.
Q. I have two versions of the same photographs – one edited, one original. Will both be transferred?
No. The most recent version of the photo will be transferred. Will not be original. It is also worth noting that the duplicate will appear as a photo.
Q. There are many organized albums in iCloud Photos. Will they be transferred or not?
Apple has you covered. Photos will be transferred along with their album. However the videos are an exception as they are transferred without their albums.
It is also important to note that shared albums, smart albums (which automatically take photos that meet specific criteria), photo stream content, live photos will not be transferred.
Q. One of my iCloud photo albums contains over 20,000 photos. Is there anything to worry about?
Yes. Google Photo Album has a maximum photo limit of 20,000 items. Thus, if you have an album that exceeds this limit, all photos will be transferred, but additional ones will not be inside that album.
Q. Will the transferred photos count against my Google cloud storage limits?
Yes they will. Also, during the transfer, you may not be able to transfer all photos and videos if you run out of photos or your Google Cloud storage is out of space.
Another way to put your iCloud photos on Google Photos
In the above method, we used the official integration between Apple and Google which completes the data transfer after making the request. This is all from Apple’s server to Google. You should not pay attention in the middle.
But as mentioned above, it is only available in a handful of countries. Also, you cannot select which photos and videos to transfer individually. This is where the following method will come in handy. Eat it something
First, download photos and videos from iCloud Photos
There are many ways to keep photos and videos stored in iCloud. If these photos and videos are visible in the iPhone photo app, you can get the iOS Google Photos app and upload everything.
You can also transfer them to Mac via airdrop. Or, if you use iCloud Photos on a Mac, everything is already inside the MacOS Photo app. You can drag and drop them onto the desktop. If you use a Windows machine, connect it to your iPhone and use the official Windows 10 Photos app to get images and videos on your PC.
Another way is to log into iCloud.com and click on iCloud Photos. Next, select the photo and click on the download icon.
Finally, an easy way to download your iCloud data involves using the same link that we used in the first method. That is, go to Privacy.apple.com and log in via your Apple ID. Next, click ‘Request a copy of your data>’.
Scroll down and check the iCloud photos and click continue. Finally, click on the complete request.
Once you have photos and videos from iCloud, it is easy to upload them to Google Photos. Let me tell you how.
Upload your photos and videos to Google Photos
You can use the Google Photos mobile app or website on a computer to upload everything to it. I prefer the latter, and thus, here are the stages.
- Go to photos.google.com and sign in using your Google account.
- Drag and drop files or click Upload on the top right.
- For better organization, consider creating an album and uploading media.
What method are you using to transfer iCloud photos to Google Photos?
I believe this guide answered what you were looking for.
Next, I have a question for you. What do you think about this move by Apple? Are they becoming liberal in their approach and slowly opening their walled gardens?
They allow you to change the default browser and mail apps on the iPhone. Then, transfer it easily from iCloud Photos to Google Photos. Apple is also working on setting you the default music app. Spotify lovers are already jumping! What do you make of all this progress? Is it anti-trust issues and penalties, or is Apple on something?