Mashable: Google and Apple recently unveiled a new feature designed to simplify the process of transferring all photos and videos from Google Photos to iCloud Photos. This initiative is a key component of the Data Transfer Project's Data Transfer Initiative, which seeks to enhance data portability between different platforms, ultimately facilitating platform switching for users.

This latest development comes on the heels of a tool introduced in 2021 that allows users to transfer images and videos from iCloud Photos to Google Photos.

“Beginning today, Apple and Google are expanding on their direct data transfer offerings to allow users of Google Photos to transfer their collections directly to iCloud Photos. This complements and completes the existing transfers that were first made possible from iCloud Photos to Google Photos and fulfills a core Data Transfer Initiative (DTI) principle of reciprocity,” the announcement on the Data Transfer Initiative page said.

The Data Transfer Project announced that the tool will be launched by the following week. Apple has specified that the service will be accessible to Apple account holders in more than 240 countries and regions globally.

Apple's support page clarifies that transferring photos and videos to iCloud Photos will not result in deletion from Google Photos. Users will need to manually delete the transferred media files.

Additionally, Apple assures that users do not have to download their photos or videos before transferring them, as the process will occur directly from Google to iCloud. The company also warns that the transfer duration may vary from "several hours to a few days," depending on the size of the media files being transferred.

Instructions for transferring images and videos from Google Photos to iCloud:

Step 1: Access Google Takeout.

Step 2: Navigate to your Google Account Dashboard.

Step 3: Locate Photos under ‘Recently used Google services’ or ‘Other Google services’ and click on Transfer data.

Step 4: Select the specific data you wish to transfer.

Step 5: Click on Continue.

Step 6: In the ‘Move to’ section, click on the Down arrow.

Step 7: Choose ‘Apple – iCloud Photos’ as the destination for your photos and videos, then click Continue.

Step 8: Initiate the transfer by clicking on the ‘Agree and Continue’ button.