Switching to iPhone: How to move Google Photos data to Apple iCloud service

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you transfer your photos and videos saved on Google Photos to Apple's iCloud directly, without requiring to download the data

Apple and Google operate their own cloud ecosystems for storing photos and videos – iCloud Photos for Apple devices and Google Photos for Android users. While both platforms offer automatic backup and smart organisation features, the data stored on these cloud platforms cannot be synced directly. This creates a gap for users looking to switch platforms or consolidate their media into one service.

 

To simplify the transition, there is an option offered by Google to enable direct transfer from Photos to Apple iCloud without requiring a manual download. The process is available in over 240 countries and supports most image and video file types, along with metadata. This guide outlines the steps involved, prerequisites, and what users can expect during and after the transfer.

Things to remember before initiating the transfer

• The transfer service is unavailable for child or Managed Apple Accounts, and will not work if Advanced Data Protection is enabled on your iCloud account.

• When you transfer your photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos, the original files remain untouched in your Google account, nothing gets deleted. 

• The process is fully cloud-based, meaning there is no need to manually download or re-upload any media. 

• Once initiated, the transfer takes place directly between Google and Apple servers. Depending on the size of your library, the process may take anywhere from a few hours to several days to complete. 

Things to check before requesting transfer

• Turn on iCloud Photos
• Turn on iCloud Drive
• Make sure you have enough iCloud storage

According to Apple support page, if you receive a storage error during the transfer, you can manage your iCloud storage or add more storage. Once you have enough storage, request another transfer. The additional transfer request will not add duplicate photo or video files to iCloud Photos. 

Supported file types

• You can transfer only photo and video files to iCloud Photos. Other file types (such as Motion Photos or Live Photos, or Memories) are not transferred.

• JPEG, HEIC, PNG, GIF, TIFF, RAW and BMP photo file types and most MP4 and MOV video file types can be transferred.

• Photos and videos are transferred in the same resolution that is made available by Google for export.

How to transfer your photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos

• Go to Google Takeout page 
• Follow the instructions to start an export from Google Photos.
• Choose “Apple – iCloud Photos” as the destination to transfer and sign in to your Apple Account.
• Tap Allow to share permission with Google to add photos and videos to iCloud.
• You can check the status of or cancel your transfer on Apple’s Data and Privacy page.
• When you start a transfer and when a transfer is complete, Apple sends email notifications to the email addresses associated with your Apple Account.

When your transfer has completed

• You will receive a confirmation email from Apple that your transfer is complete. (It may be delayed)
• Your photos and videos appear in the Photos app in an album called “Import from Google” with the date of the transfer.
• If some of your photos or videos are missing from iCloud Photos, check iCloud Drive for a folder called “Import from Google” with the date of the transfer.
• Along with the original photo or video file, its associated metadata (including the file name, description, file type and location) are also transferred.
• If you turn off iCloud Photos during the import, the transfer stops and only the photos and videos that have already transferred appear in the Photos app. To transfer the rest of your photo library, turn iCloud Photos back on and make another transfer request.

The above mentioned steps highlight how to move data from Google Photos to Apple iCloud service. To move photos and videos from Apple iCloud to Google Photos, follow the step-by-step guide here.