Apple now lets users copy iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos

Apple recently released a tool that finally allows users to transfer copies of their iCloud Photos to a third-party service, with Google Photos being the first integration. Users can find the service on Apple’s privacy site under “Transfer a copy of your data,” transferring photos and videos for iCloud does not remove or alter the content you store on with Apple, instead, it simply sends a copy of the content to the other service.

To use transfer your content, you will need to have two-factor authentication set up on your Apple ID and make sure your Google Photos account has enough storage available. The process may take place between three and 7 days.

Apple now lets users copy iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos

Apple’s new tool allows users to copy iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos

As the tech outlined in a new support document, there’s a new “Transfer a copy of your data” option on Apple’s privacy website that can be used to transfer iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos. The tool is useful for both transferring services and backup purposes.

It is important to note that only the most recent edit of a photo is transferred and duplicates will show up as a single piece of content. Currently, Smart Albums, Live Photos, photo stream content, and some other format type are not supported. Also, videos are transferred separately and photos are transferred in their own albums.

According to Apple, users need to make sure of a few things before they begin the transferring process:

  • You’re using iCloud Photos to store photos and videos with Apple.
  • Your Apple ID uses two-factor authentication.
  • You have a Google account to use Google Photos.
  • Your Google account has enough storage available to complete the transfer.

Google Photos

Here’s how to begin a request to transfer the photos and videos in iCloud Photos:

  1. Sign in with your Apple ID at privacy.apple.com.
  2. Select Transfer a copy of your data.
  3. Follow the prompts to complete your request.

You will be asked to sign in to your Google account to start the transfer. You will then receive an email of your transfer request and another email when your transfer is complete. If you cancel your request before its complete, it is possible that some photos and video may have already been transferred to Google Photos.  You can check the status of your request at privacy.apple.com/account.

The service is available in Australia, Canada, the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the U.K., and the U.S. at launch.

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About the Author

Asma is an editor at iThinkDifferent with a strong focus on social media, Apple news, streaming services, guides, mobile gaming, app reviews, and more. When not blogging, Asma loves to play with her cat, draw, and binge on Netflix shows.