If you're looking for the easiest and most complete way to transfer your photos from iCloud to Google PhotosHere you'll find the definitive guide. Apple now has an official tool that makes this process much simpler than before, avoiding complications and unnecessary intermediate steps. Now you can migrate your photo memories and videos to Google Photos in just a few steps, enjoying the benefits of the Google cloud.
Advantages of transferring your photos from iCloud to Google Photos
Google Photos is much more than just an online image repository. This platform stands out for its intelligent organization capacity, powered by Google's artificial intelligence, which automatically analyzes and labels your photos. This saves the user time and effort, as You won't have to manually tag or organize albums one by one.
Among the advantages of using Google Photos are:
- Cross-platform accessibility: You can view your photos from any device, whether Android, iOS, or the web.
- AI for organization: Google Photos automatically organizes your memories by recognizing people, places, and things.
- Editing and enhancement toolsFrom automatic filters to an advanced video editor, you'll have everything you need to enhance your memories.
- Possibility of freeing up space on your mobile after uploading the photos to the Google cloud.
Plus, transferring to Google Photos is an ideal solution if you're switching from an iPhone to an Android device, or simply want to take advantage of the additional storage and features Google provides, such as easy photo sharing, smart album creation, and advanced memory searches using facial and object recognition.
Prerequisites and considerations before transferring your photos
Before you start transferring photos and videos between iCloud and Google Photos, you'll need to make sure you meet a few key requirements:
- You must be using iCloud Photo Library to store your images with Apple. The feature must be enabled on your device.
- Two-step authentication activated on your Apple ID account. This is essential for security and for completing the transfer.
- Have a working Google account and that you use Google Photos.
- Make sure you have enough space on Google to complete the transfer. With free accounts, Google offers 15GB shared between Gmail, Drive, and Google Photos, so if your library is large, consider expanding it with Google One.
Always check the available storage before starting the request.If you don't have enough space in Google Photos, the transfer will fail and only data up to the limit will be copied.
Please note that the transfer does not delete photos from iCloud.; a copy is simply created in your Google Photos account. Photos and videos you upload later to iCloud won't be transferred automatically; you'll need to repeat the process or use the Google Photos app for iOS to back up later.
What files and data are transferred from iCloud to Google Photos?
When you request a copy of your iCloud library to Google Photos, Not all content is transferred exactly as you have it in iCloud. Apple and Google clearly point out which elements will and will not be transferred from one service to another:
Files that are transferred:
- Photos in formats: .jpg, .png, .webp, .gif
- Some RAW files (depending on Google support and source)
- Videos in: .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, .mkv
- Other image and video files in standard formats supported by Google Photos
Items that are not transferred:
- Shared albums
- Smart Albums
- Streaming photos
- The video portion of Live Photos (only the still image from Live Photos is transferred, not the video)
- Some Apple-specific metadata and features
- Photos and videos stored outside of iCloud Photos, in other folders or locations
Google Photos also imposes a limit of 20.000 photos per album.If you have an album that exceeds that amount, the additional photos will still be transferred, but they won't be added to the corresponding album.
Geographic areas where the automatic transfer service is available
This official transfer service is available in major countries and regions, including:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- European Union and associated countries (Spain, France, Germany, Italy, etc.)
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
Although it is expanding more and more and is already present in more than 240 countries, if you have any questions, check availability directly on the website. Apple's privacy portalIf you're outside of these regions, you may need to use alternative methods, such as manually uploading using Google Photos for iOS or Android.
Step by Step: How to Transfer All Your Photos and Videos from iCloud to Google Photos
Apple's official automated process is the most convenient and secure. Here we explain each step, including the alerts and notifications you'll receive throughout the process:
- Sign in with your browser and sign in with your Apple ID using two-step authentication.
- Select option "Transfer a copy of your data".
- Choose Google Photos as the destination of the copy.
- Choose whether you want to transfer only photos, only videos, or both file types.
- The system will show you the amount of photos and videos and the total space they'll take up in Google Photos. Check that you have enough space available.
- Click on Continue and continues to accept permissions and instructions.
- A window will appear in which you will have to sign in with your Google account and grant Apple the necessary permission to move the images to your Google Photos library.
- Confirm the transfer and Apple will begin copying the files to the new destination.
- You will receive a request confirmation email and a second message when the transfer is complete. The process may take between 3 and 7 days depending on the volume of images.
During the process, you can check the status from the Apple portal itself. And if you want to cancel the request early, you can do so; the items already transferred will remain in Google Photos; the remaining items will not be copied.
Limitations and important details of automatic transfer
When using the automatic option it is essential to know these details and restrictions to avoid surprises:
- Only the most recent version of each photo or video is transferredIf you've edited an image, the most recent edit will be migrated, not the original, unedited version.
- Duplicates are detected and will appear as a single copy.
- When possible, the photos will be transferred grouped in their albums, but The videos they always move out of any album.
- The names of transferred albums and videos will begin with "Copy of" to differentiate them in Google Photos.
- Smart Albums, Shared Albums, Photo Stream, Live Photos (still images only), some metadata, and files stored outside of iCloud Photo Library are not transferred.
- The space occupied by the transferred content will count toward your Google Account's total storage quota.
- Google imposes a maximum of 20.000 photos per album in Google Photos; the rest of the photos are transferred but not grouped into the corresponding album.
Apple and Google make it clear that the process is secure and private. The user's identity is verified before initiating the transfer, ensuring that only you can request the transfer of your digital memories.
Alternatives: How to Manually Transfer Photos from iOS or Mac to Google Photos
In case the automatic option isn't available in your country, or if you want to retain features like Live Photos, there are other ways to transfer your iPhone/iPad photos to Google Photos: You can check more methods in this guide.
