If you're anything like me, your photos are likely split between Google Photos and iCloud, due to old phones and different features. But moving your snaps from one to the other isn't exactly easy. But, good news! Apple and Google have put their differences aside again (for now) to deliver a new tool for transferring photos and videos.
This new tool lets you transfer your precious snaps and clips directly from Google Photos to iCloud Photos. It’s part of the Data Transfer Initiative (DTI), making sure we all get our data hopping from one platform to another without a hitch.
This shiny new tool is set to roll out over the next week, so keep an eye out. It's powered by the open-source Data Transfer Project (DTP) technology stack – the same tech behind other nifty direct portability tools. This partnership is all about reciprocity, complementing the existing feature that allows iCloud Photos to jump ship to Google Photos. Now it's a two-way street.
For the uninitiated, data portability isn’t just about downloading your data from one service and then having to upload it to another like some digital relay race. True portability needs meticulous engineering and design to ensure your data’s integrity remains untouched. That’s where the Data Transfer Project steps in, aligning data models and authentication, among other techy things, to make these transfers as smooth as a baby's bottom.
Trustworthiness is the name of the game here. It’s not just about keeping your data secure and private (though that’s crucial). It’s about ensuring the whole process is high quality, and your photos and videos make it across the digital divide in all their full-fidelity glory.
How to use this new photos transfer tool
So, you want to move some pics from your Google Photos library to iCloud. How do you actually use this new tool? Here's what to do:
- Head over to Google Takeout.
- Follow the prompts to start exporting your Google Photos collection.
- Select Apple - iCloud Photos as the destination, and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Tap Allow to give Google the green light to dump your photos and videos into iCloud.
- You can keep tabs on or cancel your transfer on Apple’s Data and Privacy page.
Apple will shoot you an email when you start the transfer and when it's done, so you’re always in the loop. If you're looking to go the other way and transfer your snaps from iCloud to Google Photos, you can follow this guide from Google.
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