iCloud Images, Videos To Google Photos: How To Transfer Files

Apple recently rolled out a feature that will allow users to transfer photos and videos stored from their iCloud memories to Google Photos.

The service is now available in the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, according to the Apple website.

Here is a quick guide for Apple users, who plan to switch to an Android device, on how to move photos and videos from iCloud storage to Google One storage. There is no need to worry about file loss as the transfer does not delete or alter any content saved in the iCloud. It instead creates a separate copy and a backup method on the destination folder, MacRumors reported.

Before requesting for the transfer of photos from iCloud to Google photos, a user must first activate the two-factor authentication for Apple ID. The user must also have an active Google account with enough space to use Google Photos.

To begin the transfer, a user must go over to Apple’s privacy website and sign in using an Apple account. A summary of photos and videos and the amount of storage used will then be displayed.

Select the destination folder -- in this case Google Photos -- and pick out the photos and videos to transfer. A notification will appear telling the user the copy will not be completed if the Google One Drive runs out of space during the transferring process. Hit continue to begin the process.

Sign in to Google Account and allow Apple to access the Google Photos library. Choose “confirm transfers” to complete the request. Depending on the size of the files to move to Google Photos, the transfer may take three to seven days.

Once the transfer is complete, the pictures will appear on the Google account. Google will then send an email notification to confirm the completion of the process.

Formats such as .jpg, .png, .webp, .gif, some RAW files, .mpg, .mod, .mmv, .tod, .wmv, .asf, .avi, .divx, .mov, .m4v, .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m2t, .m2ts, .mts, and .mkv file can be transferred. Meanwhile, shared albums, smart albums, photo stream content, live photos, some metadata, and photos and videos stored in other folders or locations will not be transferred, CNBC reported.

For edited photos, only the latest revision will be copied and not the raw format. Duplicate photos are copied as one.