Transferring all our photos from one cloud service to another might seem like a slow and complex task, but the truth is that we can move our entire Google Photos library to iCloud without downloading a single file. With just a few clicks and thanks to a system that takes care of everything, switching from one service to another is easier than ever. Let’s see how to do it.
A direct transfer between Google and Apple, with no quality loss
Until recently, transferring our photos and videos between platforms required downloading the files to our device and then manually uploading them to the new service. This process, besides being time-consuming, risked losing image quality. Now, thanks to the collaboration between Apple and Google in data transfer, the situation has completely changed.
The procedure works in more than 240 countries and is compatible with most accounts, although there are exceptions like child accounts or those managed under an enterprise Apple account. If we meet the requirements, the system ensures that our photos and videos reach iCloud in their highest quality—without compression or any loss—and all in just a few simple steps.
The only thing to keep in mind is that we need to temporarily disable iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection if it’s activated. This ensures the transfer system has the necessary access to complete the process correctly. Once it’s done, we can reactivate it.
Five steps to move our photos from Google Photos to iCloud
Although this process might sound lengthy, it’s much easier than it seems. Google and Apple have simplified the transfer so much that it comes down to just five steps:
- Access Google Takeout: This Google tool lets us export data from all its services to other options. Here, we’ll select Google Photos as the only service we want to back up.
- Start an export: Set up the export of our photos and videos from Google Takeout, making sure not to include other data.
- Choose iCloud as the destination: This is the key step. Instead of selecting a local download, we have to choose “Apple – iCloud Photos” as the direct transfer destination.
- Log in with our Apple account: This allows Google to send our files directly to iCloud. By doing so, we authorize a temporary connection between the two platforms.
- Wait for the transfer to complete: The time required will depend on the data volume, but the best part is that we won’t need to do anything else. Once the process starts, everything is managed automatically.
This system, aside from being convenient, uses an internal bandwidth much greater than our usual internet connection. This means the transfer is faster, uninterrupted, and requires no downloads.
This is a system designed to make transitioning between services easier. It eliminates the typical risks of manual downloads, like forgotten images, lost metadata, or degraded quality. Moreover, because it’s done directly between Google and Apple, the security and privacy of our data are guaranteed. All of this makes this tool one of the best options for switching from Google’s ecosystem to Apple’s.
Transferring all our photos and videos to iCloud is now incredibly simple. With just a few clicks, we can enjoy our library on Apple’s service while keeping every detail and every memory intact.
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