Apple's New Transfer Service Moves iCloud Images To Google Photos

Apple is making it easier for iCloud users to transfer their images and videos to Google Photos. The ability is made possible using a newly launched Apple service for iCloud users, one similar to the transfer option Facebook offers for shuttling content to a Google account. Images transferred to Google Photos will remain available in the user's iCloud account.

If you own an iPhone and/or iPad, you likely have many images and videos stored in iCloud Photos. In addition, you probably also have a Google account — and, perhaps, you want to transfer the content from iCloud Photos to Google Photos. There are multiple reasons someone may want to transfer the content.

Perhaps you're making a big move from Apple products to Android. Alternatively, you may simply want to free up iCloud storage space or ensure your content is duplicated onto a second platform for safekeeping. Regardless of the reason, you can now copy over the content using the new iCloud transfer service.

According to Apple, it will take 3 – 7 days after requesting the transfer for the company to verify the request and copy the content. Users have the option of transferring only their iCloud images, only the videos, or both categories of content. The requests are made at the privacy.apple.com website where the user will sign in with their Apple ID and follow the prompts.

Apple details the specifics in a new support document, including which file formats are transferred and how the content is managed. Among other things, Apple notes that only the most recent edit of an image is transferred, not the original copy; likewise, the transferred content will appear in Google Photos with filenames that start with 'Copy of.'