How to save photos from Google Photos

From Google Photos to iCloud: A Smooth iPhone Photo Transfer Guide

Last year's Thailand trip yielded nearly 1000 cherished photos, initially stored in Google Photos on my Android. Switching to an iPhone and iCloud presented a challenge: transferring thousands of photos efficiently. This article details my solution, avoiding the tedious individual download/upload process.

Why Choose iCloud?

Before diving in, let's compare Google Photos and iCloud:

Feature	Google Photos	iCloud
Compatibility	Android, iOS, Web, Windows, macOS	iOS, macOS, Windows (iCloud app), Web
Free Storage	15 GB	5 GB
Paid Storage	100 GB - 2 TB (Google One)	50 GB - 2 TB (iCloud )
Storage Types	Primarily photos in the cloud	Photos, docs, apps, settings, etc.
Backup	Automatic from Android, iOS, and desktop	Automatic from iOS and macOS devices
Photo Organization	Albums, facial recognition, object/location search	Albums, People & Places, metadata search
Sharing	Links, shared albums, Google collaboration	Shared albums, family sharing, iCloud links
AI Features	Automatic suggestions, smart albums, tagging	Automatic tagging, suggestions, shared albums
Offline Access	Manual download required	Synced across devices for offline access

I switched due to my Apple ecosystem preference and the cost of dual storage subscriptions. Local iPhone access was also a priority.

Native Google Photos Transfer Methods

Google suggests two native transfer methods: the Google Photos app (iOS) and the photos.google.com website (Mac). While simple for smaller collections, these methods are less efficient for large numbers of photos and may cause metadata issues.

Using the Google Photos App

1. Log in to the Google Photos app.
2. Select photos to download. They'll appear in your iPhone's Photos app.
3. In Photos > Library > All Photos, tap "Sync Now."

Bulk downloads from Google Photos to your Mac can be done directly from the website. Note that selecting multiple photos requires a press-and-hold gesture followed by tapping additional items.

My Experience: Duplicate Issues

This method created duplicates. To address this, I used Gemini (Mac) to identify and remove duplicates, freeing up significant storage space.

For iPhone users, CleanMy®Phone offers similar duplicate-removal functionality.

Transferring from Multiple Google Accounts

Managing thousands of photos across multiple accounts is time-consuming. CloudMounter (Mac) provided a solution:

1. Install and open CloudMounter.
2. Connect your Google Drive accounts.
3. Access Google Photos as local disks in Finder, enabling easy copying/dragging to your local drive.

Importing to iCloud via Photos App

After downloading to your Mac, import photos to iCloud using the Photos app:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Photos.
2. Select File > Import.
3. Choose photos and click "Import All New Photos" or select specific ones.

Photos should automatically sync to your iPhone if both devices use the same Apple ID. Direct import from CloudMounter to iCloud is also possible.

Metadata Management

Downloading photos often separates metadata (location, date, time) into separate files. Commander One and DCommander (Mac) offer advanced dual-pane file management, simplifying metadata handling and bulk file operations.

Conclusion

This guide demonstrates efficient Google Photos to iPhone transfer methods. Tools like Gemini, CleanMy®Phone, CloudMounter, Commander One, and DCommander streamline the process, saving time and effort. Explore these and other productivity apps on Setapp for a simplified digital experience.

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