Apple has introduced a new tool that allows users to transfer copies of their iCloud photos to another service, with Google Photos being the first integration.
As the company outlined in a new support document, there is 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 delete content from iCloud, but transfers a copy of a user’s photos and videos to Google Photos. That could make the tool useful for both transferring services and backup purposes.
However, only the most recent edit of a photo is transferred and duplicates are displayed as a single piece of content. Smart albums, live photos, photo stream content, and some other format types are currently not supported. Videos will be transferred individually, while photos will likely be transferred together in their own albums.
Users need two-factor authentication to lock 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 will be available at launch in Australia, Canada, the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The service can be accessed online at Apple’s privacy webpage.