Apple has quietly launched a tool that lets you automatically transfer all of the photos and videos stored on your iCloud account to Google Photos.
This will be especially useful if you decide to ditch your Apple-made smartphone for an Android alternative and need to move your media to your new device.
A few things to keep in mind, according to Apple:
– The transfer of content takes between three days and a week to complete. “We use this time to verify that the request was made by you, and to make the transfer,” the tech giant said.
– Some data and formats available in iCloud Photos — such as Smart Albums, Live Photos, or some RAW files — may not be available when you transfer your content. More information about this is available on Apple’s website.
– Transferring photos and videos from iCloud Photos doesn’t remove or alter the content you store with Apple, but instead sends a copy of it to Google Photos.
– Google Photos also has a limit of 20,000 photos per album. If you transfer an album with more than 20,000 photos, the additional photos are still transferred but are not added to the album.
– The new tool is initially available to customers in the U.S., Canada, the European Union, the U.K., Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Australia, and New Zealand.
How to transfer your photos and videos:
First, make sure of the following:
– You’re using iCloud Photos to store photos and videos with Apple.
– Your Apple ID uses two-factor authentication.
– You have a Google account for Google Photos.
– Your Google account has enough storage available to complete the transfer.
Next, you need to start a request to transfer your iCloud Photos content. To do this:
– Sign in with your Apple ID at privacy.apple.com.
– Select “Transfer a copy of your data.”
– Follow the prompts to complete your request.
You’ll be asked to sign in to your Google account to start the transfer. After that, you’ll receive an email notification regarding your transfer request and another email when the transfer has finished. You can check the status of your request via this page on Apple’s website.
Digital Trends has a recently updated article on everything else you need to consider when switching from iPhone to Android. And if you are making the move, be sure to check out this article featuring the best tips and tricks for using Google Photos.
