Apple has a new tool that enables users to transfer copies of their iCloud photos to another service, with Google Photos as the first integration.
As the company outlines in a new support document, there’s a new ‘Transfer a copy of your data’ option on Apple’s privacy website that can be used to transfer iCloud media content to Google Photos.
The process does not remove any content from iCloud, but transfers a copy of a user’s photos and videos to Google Photos. This can make the tool useful for transferring services and backup purposes.
However, only the most recent edit of a photo will be transferred and duplicates will appear as a single content. Smart albums, live photos, photo stream content, and some other format types are not currently supported. Videos are transferred separately, while photos are likely to be transferred to their own albums.
Users need two-factor authentication to shut down their Apple ID and a Google Photos account with enough storage space for their iCloud content. The transfer takes between three and seven days.
The service is available during launches in Australia, Canada, the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the USA. The service is available online on Apple’s privacy website.