Apple and Google are making it easier than ever to switch photos and videos between their cloud storage providers. They announced a new tool that allows users to transfer their entire photo and video library directly from Google Photos to iCloud Photos.
Previously, users could only transfer photos from iCloud to Google Photos. It’s safe to say that this new tool completes the cycle. The transfer is powered by the Data Transfer Project (DTP), an open-source initiative by Apple, Google, and Meta. DTP is said to be a secure and user-friendly experience.
Photos: .jpg, .png, .gif, .webp, .avif, and most RAW files (formats such as Motion Photos, Live Photos, or Memories are not supported for transfer)
Videos: .mp4, .mov, .m4v, .mpg, mkv, .mod, .mmv, avi, .divx, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .3gp, .3g2, .m2t, .m2ts, and .mts files.”
Note: Only consumers with Google Accounts are eligible for this transfer initiative. The following accounts will are not eligible for data transfer:
- Accounts for children under the applicable age in their country
- Accounts through work, school, or other organizations
- Accounts with Advanced Protection turned on
For users interested in making the switch, both Apple and Google have provided support pages with detailed instructions. With this new tool, switching cloud storage providers is just a few clicks away, ensuring your photos and videos remain safely within reach.
The transfer process can take between several hours and a few days, depending on the amount of data being transferred. Once you start transferring your photos and videos to iCloud Photos, they will not be deleted from Google Photos.
More here.