How to Transfer Your iCloud Photo Library to Google Photos

There are many cloud storage services available today, and Apple and Google offer two of the more popular options. Switching can feel like a daunting task, but Apple makes it easy to move your iCloud library to Google Photos.

Apple’s transfer service can bring a copy of your iCloud photos and videos over to your Google Photos account. There are some things that can’t be transferred, however. They include shared albums, smart albums, stream content, live photos, and some metadata.

Steps to Transfer iCloud Photo Library to Google Photos

The setup process is simple, but the actual transfer can take up to a week if you have a particularly large library. Let’s get started.

First, head to privacy.apple.com in a web browser such as Safari or Google Chrome. Sign in with your Apple ID.

Click “Continue” to accept the Apple ID & Privacy statement.

Next, select the “Request to Transfer a Copy of Your Data” link.

You’ll see details about how much of your library can be transferred. Underneath that, select the drop-down menu and pick “Google Photos” as the destination.

You can now select which content you’d like to transfer and then “Continue.” Your choices include photos and videos.

The next screen will explain that if your Google account doesn’t have enough space, not all of the items will be copied. Click “Continue” to proceed.

A new window will open for you to sign in to or choose your Google account.

Click “Allow” from the pop-up message to give Apple permission to add photos and videos to your Google Photos library.

Select “Allow” again on the next screen to confirm your choices.

Lastly, Apple explains that the process will take between three to seven days. When the transfer is complete, you will be notified through your Apple ID email. Click “Confirm Transfers” to finish up.

That’s all there is to it! Keep an eye out for the email when the transfer is done. A copy of your iCloud photos and videos will now appear in Google Photos.