Apple and Google have introduced a new tool that allows users to transfer their Google Photos collections directly to iCloud Photos. This follows the 2021 launch of a tool for transferring iCloud Photos to Google Photos.
This effort is part of the Data Transfer Project, which focuses on making it easier to move data between different online platforms. The new tool will be available over the next week.
Starting today, users can transfer their Google Photos collections to iCloud Photos, expanding on the existing iCloud Photos to Google Photos transfer. This new tool, part of the Data Transfer Project, joins other data portability tools from Apple, Google, and Meta.
Apple and Google have published guides on how to transfer collections from Google Photos to iCloud Photos. The service will be available in over 240 countries and regions, but not for child accounts or Managed Apple ID accounts. Transfers aren’t possible while Advanced Data Protection is enabled.
Apple says:
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Photos and videos transferred to iCloud Photos aren’t deleted from Google Photos.
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You don’t need to download your photos or videos to transfer them. The transfer is direct from Google to iCloud.
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The transfer process might take several hours to a few days, depending on the size of the photos and videos.
To transfer your photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos:
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Go to Google Takeout.
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Follow the instructions to start an export from Google Photos.
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Choose “Apple – iCloud Photos” as the destination and sign in with your Apple ID.
4 Tap Allow to share permission with Google to add photos and videos to iCloud.
You can find more details on Apple’s and Google’s websites.