How to Move Photos from iCloud to Google Photos [2023]

File and content material sharing between Apple gadgets like iPhones, iPads, and Macs have at all times been fairly simple however what if you happen to’re switching alliance to Google’s companies or Android and also you need your photos to maneuver with you? Apple has lately introduced adjustments to knowledge portability and is now providing its customers a neater technique to transfer their photos library elsewhere in the event that they want to. At the time of penning this, Google Photos is the one collaborating service eligible for the brand new direct switch choice. 

If you’re questioning in regards to the change from iCloud to Google Photos, right here’s why you might wish to try this, what you want for it, and the way you are able to do it with ease. 

Why could you wish to switch photos from iCloud to Google Photos?

If you’ve been a hardcore Apple consumer, you might be questioning why you might wish to switch all of your photos and movies from iCloud to Google Photos. Here are some the reason why:

• You could also be operating out of your free iCloud storage: Apple solely presents as much as 5GB of free storage for all iCloud customers and in that 5GB they should handle their Photos, Documents, Mail, and Backups. If you’re not but prepared to start out paying up for more iCloud storage, transferring your photos to Google Photos is your next most suitable choice because it supplies as much as 15GB of free storage. 
• You can share Google’s least expensive plan with your loved ones with more storage: The least expensive plans on each Apple and Google can be found for $0.99/month every however it’s Google’s One subscription that provides household sharing right here. Also, Google One’s $0.99 presents 100GB whereas Apple’s $0.99 iCloud plan solely will get you as much as 50GB of cloud area. 
• You could also be switching to an Android device: If you’re switching gadgets and shifting to Android, it is unnecessary that you simply keep using iCloud storage because it’s virtually inaccessible or much less useful on non-Apple gadgets. On the opposite hand, Google Photos and its cloud storage are accessible throughout all main platforms and even if you happen to change back to iOS, it ought to be absolutely usable for you. 
• This course of saves you time and knowledge: Before the provision of this characteristic, you might be able to switch photos from iCloud provided that you manually obtain them first after which add them to Google Photos. With this new switch course of, you not solely save the time consumed whereas shifting stuff manually but in addition forestall spending your knowledge plan to first obtain a number of GBs of your photos after which re-upload them once more on Google. 
• Save your reminiscences even if you happen to lose entry to your iPhone/iCloud: When you may have photos on each iCloud and Google Photos, you’ll have a way of safety about your reminiscences, figuring out very effectively that you should have entry to them even if you happen to lose your iPhone or iCloud account. 
• Safeguard your privacy: One means of working towards higher privacy is to not depend on apps or companies from the identical firm. If you employ an iPhone and don’t wish to be caught on iCloud storage for all times, transferring your knowledge to Google Photos additionally boosts your privacy. 

What are you able to switch from iCloud to Google Photos

When transferring stuff from iCloud to Google Photos, Apple sends photos and movies with the next supported codecs – .jpg, .png, .webp, .gif, some RAW information, .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv. 

Any file codecs apart from those talked about above gained’t be copied out of your iCloud to Google and as a way to try this, you’ll have to manually transfer them between the 2 platforms your self. 

What are you able to NOT switch from iCloud to Google Photos

When transferring content material from iCloud to Google Photos, you can’t transfer the next stuff between the 2 platforms:

• Shared albums
• Smart albums
• Photostream content material
• Live photos
• Photos and movies not saved in iCloud
• The unique model of photos which have been edited
• Duplicates of the identical photograph
• Videos gained’t seem contained in the albums they had been initially in
• Photos which can be in extra of Google’s 20,000 photos per album restrict. 

Requirements for switch

To transfer photos from iCloud to Google Photos, that you must be sure to meet the next necessities for the switch course of to achieve success:

• Make certain you employ Apple’s iCloud storage to retailer photos and movies: Since iCloud Photos backs up your whole reminiscences robotically, you gained’t want to repeat them manually throughout the switch course of; all of that’s performed over the cloud. 
• You have Two-factor authentication enabled in your Apple ID account: To shield your info, Apple makes use of two-factor authentication on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Apple states that your Apple ID account ought to be enabled with this safety characteristic for the switch to be doable. 
• You have a Google account: This is fairly self-explanatory as you will have a Google account to entry Google Photos and get your photos transferred from iCloud. 
• You have sufficient cupboard space in your Google account: If you’re shifting photos out of your free iCloud storage (5GB), you might be able to switch them to Google’s cloud storage with out a problem because it presents as much as 15GB of free area. In case this 15GB is already stuffed up or if you happen to had greater than 5GB of photos and movies to repeat out of your iCloud, you will have to buy a Google One membership that provides you more cupboard space. Before the switch course of begins, it is possible for you to to verify what number of photos and the way a lot knowledge shall be transferred from iCloud. You can verify how a lot free area in your Google account by going to your Google Drive Storage web page. 

How to request for switch of photos from iCloud

Once you’ve fulfilled all the necessities talked about above and have checked all of the gadgets that may be copied out of your iCloud Photos, you can begin the switch course of to Google Photos by sending a request to Apple. 

To get began, go to privacy.apple.com on Safari or Firefox and sign up to your Apple ID account. 

You could also be requested to permit signing in from the device you’re using and may be required to enter a verification code that may seem on any of your Apple gadgets. 

Once you’re signed in, you may be taken to your account’s Data and Privacy part. To go for transferring photos from iCloud, click on on the Request to switch a duplicate of your knowledge hyperlink beneath the “Transfer a copy of your data” part. 

Now, you may be taken to the “Transfer a copy of your photos and videos” web page. On this web page, you must be capable to see the variety of photos and movies you may have saved on iCloud together with the dimensions of storage your media quantities to. 

Scroll down on this web page and click on on the Choose the place you’d prefer to switch your photos drop-down menu and choose Google Photos. 

This will get you more choices that can assist you resolve what you wish to switch. Check the Photos and Videos packing containers to switch each photos and movies from iCloud to Google Photos. If you want to solely switch one among these classes, you possibly can customise the switch by checking the popular field. Once you make your picks, click on on Continue on the backside

On the subsequent display, you will note a abstract of the content material you’re transferring from iCloud to Google Photos. Apple will even notify you that you simply want a specific amount of area for the switch to happen. If the knowledge offered within the abstract is appropriate, you possibly can go forward with the switch course of by clicking on Continue. 

A brand new window or tab ought to pop up asking you to sign up to a Google account or choose one from accounts that you simply’re already logged in to. If you’re already signed in to the Google account the place you want to switch the iCloud photos, you possibly can choose it from this display. If this account isn’t signed in on the net browser that you simply’re presently using, you possibly can click on on Use one other account as a substitute to sign up to a different Google account. 

Once you’ve chosen the Google account you wish to use for the switch, you will have to grant Apple entry to your Google Photos library. In the “Grant Apple Data and Privacy permission” dialog that seems on the display, click on on Allow. 

You will now want to substantiate your approval to let Apple add content material to your Google Photos Library. In the brand new tab/window that opens, verify the Add to your Google Photos library field beneath the “You are allowing Apple Data and Privacy to:” part after which click on on Allow on the backside proper nook. 

You will now be taken back to the Apple Data and Privacy display. Here, you may be proven a abstract of the switch course of with info on what’s being copied, its vacation spot, and the Google account will probably be copied to. Apple will even spotlight how a lot storage you might have to get the switch accomplished. If you’re performed verifying this info, you possibly can click on on Confirm Transfer on the backside to start out the switch. 

That’s it. You have efficiently despatched a switch request to Apple and it’s now as much as Apple to maneuver your photos from iCloud to Google Photos. 

What occurs after you ship a switch request?

Once your request has been submitted, you’ll obtain an electronic mail concerning your switch request. Apple says it should take 3-7 days on your iCloud photos to seem inside Google Photos stating that it wants time to confirm whether or not the request was made by you and nobody else. 

While this will not be the quickest methodology to repeat content material between your Apple and Google account, it’s by far the best and most safe one and one which doesn’t price you a hefty knowledge plan which you will want if you happen to wished to manually obtain all of your photos from iCloud after which re-upload them on Google. This methodology will even prevent treasured time as shifting your photos, in the event that they’re hundreds in quantity, isn’t a simple job if you do it your self. 
When the switch is full, Apple will ship you one other electronic mail stating the identical and you may then verify your Google Photos to see if the transferred content material is obtainable inside it. All content material copied to Google Photos could have filenames beginning with “Copy of” and can seem contained in the albums they had been part of (aside from movies). 

I transferred my photos however I nonetheless can’t see them. Why?

If you had utilized for a switch request to Apple to maneuver photos from iCloud to Google Photos however you continue to don’t see it seem within the latter, it might be due to any of the next causes. 

Check if you happen to obtained a affirmation electronic mail about your switch request

As we defined above, Apple will ship you a affirmation electronic mail when it receives your request for the switch of images from iCloud. After your request is processed, you’ll obtain one other electronic mail from Apple in regards to the completion of the switch.

• If you obtained just one electronic mail from Apple, it means your request continues to be beneath course of and you will note your iCloud photos on Google Photos when you get one other affirmation electronic mail from Apple that notifies you that your switch is full. 
• If you obtained no emails from Apple, it means you haven’t submitted the request to switch your iCloud photos to Google correctly. You could have to log in to privacy.apple.com once more to finish your request. 

Know that the switch course of takes 3-7 days

Apple’s assist web page clearly states that the method of transferring your photos from iCloud to Google Photos will take someplace between three and 7 days. This is required as a result of Apple must confirm whether or not the switch request was made by you solely after which all of your content material is copied between the 2 platforms. If your photos library consists of a number of hundreds of images and movies, this may occasionally take a couple of days to seem in your Google Photos account.

If it’s nonetheless beneath per week because you despatched a request to Apple, we’d counsel you wait at the least 7 days from the day of your request earlier than shifting on to the subsequent strategies. Apple itself will notify you in regards to the completion of your switch request by way of electronic mail and you may then verify your Google Photos to see in case your iCloud photos can be found right here. 

You don’t have sufficient cupboard space in your Google account

For your switch to undergo with out points, you’re required to have sufficient cupboard space in your Google account to retailer all the images and movies despatched from iCloud. When you apply for a switch request, Apple will notify you in regards to the quantity of cupboard space that your iCloud content material will take up on Google.

If you may have a free Google account, you possibly can switch as much as 15GB of photos and video from iCloud, offered there isn’t the rest that’s already saved on this 15GB of cloud storage. This works if you happen to don’t use Apple’s paid membership which will get you more than simply the 5GB cloud storage that you simply get for a free Apple ID account. 

If you employ a paid iCloud plan to retailer your information and photos on Apple gadgets, you might have to subscribe to Google One in order that your whole content material is transferred between iCloud and Google Photos.

You can verify how a lot free area you may have left in your Google account by going to the Drive Storage web page. When you apply for a switch request on iCloud, Apple will present you the required area it wants in your Google account for your whole photos to be transferred. 

Although the switch course of will undergo even if you happen to don’t have sufficient cupboard space, not your whole gadgets shall be copied to Google Photos. Apple will solely copy as many photos/movies as doable within the restricted area you may have left in your Google account. 

Only a current model of a photograph seems, no duplicates

If you may have a number of variations or duplicates of a photograph on iCloud, Apple will copy its most up-to-date edit as a substitute of all its different variations. This means the unique model of an image gained’t present up on Google Photos if you happen to edited it prior to now on any of your Apple gadgets.

Apple will even not copy a reproduction of an image if it has already transferred an similar one from iCloud to Google Photos. So, if you happen to had a number of copies of the identical photograph saved in your Apple gadgets, solely one among them will present up inside Google Photos. This could imply that albums with a number of duplicates or completely different variations of an image gained’t present some photos that you’ll have beforehand accessed on an Apple device or iCloud. 

If you may have an album with greater than 20,000 photos…

Google Photos has a restrict that solely enables you to retailer as much as 20,000 gadgets in a single album. If you had greater than that many photos and movies in a single album on iCloud, then some photos gained’t seem inside this album on Google Photos. When an album with greater than 20,000 photos is transferred, all the photos within the album shall be transferred to your Google account however a few of them gained’t seem contained in the album they had been initially a part of. 

If that doesn’t work, you possibly can attempt to…

In case you’re not glad with Apple’s switch course of otherwise you don’t wish to give Apple entry to your Google Photos, you should still be capable to transfer photos from iCloud to Google through the use of any of the 2 strategies talked about beneath. 

Manually obtain from iCloud after which add to Google Photos

You can manually obtain a duplicate of your unique photos or movies from iCloud Photos on the net after which add them to Google Photos your self. This comes with benefits like having the ability to select what will get downloaded, the flexibility to decide on unique variations of images as a substitute of essentially the most lately edited model, and choose which format you wish to obtain them in. The one actual draw back to that is that in case you have a ton of images amounting to a number of GBs, it doesn’t make sense to obtain your whole photos after which add them once more as you might find yourself losing your knowledge plan and time when doing so.

You can obtain photos out of your iCloud account by following the put up we’ve ready within the hyperlink beneath:

▶ Download Photos from iCloud on the Web

Once you’ve downloaded all of your photos, you possibly can open Google Photos on the net and begin importing your photos by clicking the Upload icon (the one with the upward-facing icon from a tray). 

Back up your photos using Google Photos

Perhaps the best technique to transfer your photos from iCloud to Google Photos is through the use of the Google Photos app in your iPhone. If you may have your whole iCloud photos obtainable in your iPhone, then you possibly can copy and ship them to Google Photos straight through the use of Google Photos’ Backup characteristic. For this, obtain and set up the Google Photos app from the App Store in your iPhone and log in using your Google account. 

To begin backing up your photos on to your Google account, open the Google Photos app in your iPhone and faucet on your profile image on the high proper nook. 

In the overflow window that seems, choose Turn on backup beneath “Backup is off”.

On the subsequent pop-up display, choose the standard of your add (we recommend choosing Storage saver in case you have a whole lot of photos and movies you wish to retailer on Google Photos) and faucet on Confirm. 

All your photos current in your iPhone shall be despatched to Google Photos straight. 

That’s all that you must learn about transferring photos from iCloud to Google Photos. 

RELATED