Migrate iCloud Photos to Google Photos, OneDrive or NAS

What is iCloud Photos?

iCloud Photos is Apple's photo-and-video backbone — the default sync target for every iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV. Every photo or video taken on an Apple device automatically uploads at full original resolution (4K ProRes video, 48-megapixel HEIC, Live Photos, RAW from the iPhone Pro lineup) and syncs across all the user's Apple devices, with optimized smaller copies kept on-device when storage runs short. iCloud Photos shares the same Apple ID storage pool as iCloud Drive: 5 GB free on every Apple ID, expanding through iCloud+ tiers at 50 GB ($0.99/mo), 200 GB ($2.99/mo), 2 TB ($9.99/mo), 6 TB ($29.99/mo), and 12 TB ($59.99/mo). Video- and Live-Photo-heavy users routinely outgrow 200 GB within a year of iPhone Pro ownership.

Apple now offers a direct iCloud → Google Photos transfer at privacy.apple.com, but the official path takes 3–7 days, doesn't transfer face tags or albums, and requires repeating the entire process if you accumulate more photos afterwards. CloudsLinker integrates iCloud Photos as a separate connector from iCloud Drive (different namespace, same Apple ID auth path), with HEIC, Live Photos, and original-quality video preserved end-to-end during the transfer. Use as source for a one-shot migration to Google Photos / OneDrive / Synology Photos, or for ongoing scheduled backup of every new iPhone shot to a private cloud you control.

Key features of iCloud Photos

5 GB free + iCloud+ up to 12 TB

Free Apple IDs share 5 GB across iCloud Drive + iCloud Photos + device backups. iCloud+ scales: 50 GB / 200 GB / 2 TB / 6 TB / 12 TB. Photos and videos quickly dominate this quota.

Original quality always uploaded

iCloud Photos uploads full-resolution originals from every device. Optimize Storage on iPhone keeps thumbnails locally — but the cloud copy is always full resolution, ready for download.

Apple's 3–7 day Takeout transfer

<code>privacy.apple.com</code> offers iCloud → Google Photos transfer, but takes 3–7 days, doesn't move face tags, and only runs once. CloudsLinker is faster and supports recurring jobs.

Albums and face tags don't transfer

Albums you created in Photos and Apple's face-recognition tags are iCloud-only metadata — they don't transfer to Google Photos, OneDrive, or any other destination. Photos and EXIF metadata do transfer.

Shared Albums separate from Library

Photos in Shared Albums live outside the main iCloud Photos library and at lower resolution. CloudsLinker accesses the main library only — Shared Album content is excluded from migration.

Advanced Data Protection caveat

With ADP enabled, iCloud Photos is end-to-end encrypted and CloudsLinker cannot read photo content (only metadata). Disable ADP temporarily on the migrating account, then re-enable after.

Why connect iCloud Photos to CloudsLinker

CloudsLinker connects to iCloud Photos using your Apple ID + a 6-digit 2FA verification code generated on a trusted Apple device. The session derives the same web-API access Apple's own iCloud.com Photos viewer uses — with photo and video originals streamed server-to-server to the destination cloud. The connector preserves HEIC and Live Photo bundling where the destination supports them, falls back to JPEG / MP4 conversion on destinations that don't, and respects Apple's per-session throttling automatically.

What you can do with iCloud Photos on CloudsLinker

HEIC, Live Photo, RAW preservation

Original-quality transfer for HEIC, Live Photos (paired image + video), Apple ProRes video, and iPhone Pro RAW. Destinations that don't support HEIC get auto-converted to JPEG.

Runs without a Mac

iCloud Photos transfers execute on CloudsLinker's servers — no Mac, iPhone, or iCloud client required during the migration. Useful for users who left the Apple ecosystem entirely.

Scheduled photo backup

Set a recurring sync from iCloud Photos to Google Photos, OneDrive, or a Synology NAS. Apple offers no native scheduled-backup option — this is the only way.

Filter by date, type, album

Migrate only photos from 2024–2026, skip 4K videos > 5 GB, or back up just the Selects album. Filters layer for surgical control over multi-TB photo libraries.

Common iCloud Photos transfer scenarios

Switch from iPhone to Pixel: migrate iCloud Photos → Google Photos at full quality

When changing platforms, Apple's official transfer to Google Photos works but takes 3–7 days and is one-shot. CloudsLinker copies your entire iCloud Photos library to Google Photos in 1–2 days for typical 200 GB libraries, with HEIC preserved at original quality on the Google side. New iPhone photos taken during the transition keep syncing to iCloud — schedule a follow-up CloudsLinker run after you've fully switched.

Self-hosted family photo archive: iCloud Photos → Synology Photos / Immich

Privacy-conscious families want photos on hardware they own — Synology Photos, Immich, or PhotoPrism running on a home NAS. CloudsLinker migrates the entire iCloud Photos library to a Synology / Nextcloud / WebDAV destination, preserving original quality. Pair with CloudsLinker scheduling so every new iPhone shot eventually lands on the family NAS.

3-2-1 backup of irreplaceable photos to S3 / Wasabi

Family photos and wedding videos are unreplaceable. iCloud Photos is one copy; a local Mac is two; an off-site immutable backup makes three. Schedule a CloudsLinker monthly incremental from iCloud Photos to Wasabi ($6.99/TB) or B2 ($6/TB) with Object Lock — your 1 TB photo library stays ransomware-resistant for ~$7/month.

Cold-archive ten years of old photos to cheaper storage

If you're paying $9.99/mo for the iCloud+ 2 TB tier but 80 % of it is photos from 2014–2020 you haven't opened in years, archive the cold years to B2 ($6/TB) and downsize iCloud+ to 200 GB ($2.99/mo). CloudsLinker filters by year/month range to identify cold content.

Run iCloud Photos and Google Photos in parallel for redundancy

Some photographers want every shot in both ecosystems — iCloud for the tight Apple Photos integration, Google Photos for the search and shareability. CloudsLinker schedules a one-way or two-way sync, with the option to skip duplicates already present on the destination.

How to connect iCloud Photos to CloudsLinker

iCloud Photos uses Apple ID + password + 6-digit 2FA verification code — the same auth path as iCloud Drive, but a separate connector because Photos is a different namespace.

Before you start

Make sure the following is true on the Apple ID you’re connecting:

Two-factor authentication is enabled (required — Apple no longer supports non-2FA sign-in for new sessions).
“Access iCloud Data on the Web” is enabled: appleid.apple.com → Sign-In and Security → toggle on. Without it, web-based tools (CloudsLinker included) cannot access iCloud Photos.
Advanced Data Protection (ADP) is off on this account during the migration window — or accept that only metadata is accessible. ADP encrypts iCloud Photos end-to-end, blocking third-party tools from reading content.
iCloud Photos is enabled on the Apple ID (Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Photos → “Sync this iPhone”).

Connection steps

In CloudsLinker, click Add Cloud → choose iCloud Photos.
Enter your Apple ID email and password.
A 6-digit verification code is sent to your trusted Apple devices (iPhone / iPad / Mac). Tap Allow on the device and enter the code shown.
Paste the 6-digit code into CloudsLinker. If the code doesn’t arrive, generate one manually: iPhone/iPad → Settings → [Your Name] → Sign-In & Security → Get Verification Code.
Click Confirm — CloudsLinker establishes the iCloud session and lists your photo library to verify the connection.

Revoke access

To revoke CloudsLinker’s session later: https://appleid.apple.com → Sign-In and Security → Devices → find the web session (typically labelled by browser/IP) → Remove.

iCloud Photos upload & download limits you should know

Apple publishes few hard numbers, but the following limits are well-documented through user experience and Apple support docs:

Library size: no published cap beyond your iCloud storage quota (5 GB free → up to 12 TB on iCloud+).
Per-photo / video size: no specific limit — bounded by iCloud Drive’s per-file 50 GB max for individual videos, but practically the iPhone camera produces files well under 1 GB each.
iCloud+ pricing: 50 GB $0.99/mo, 200 GB $2.99/mo, 2 TB $9.99/mo, 6 TB $29.99/mo, 12 TB $59.99/mo.
Sustained throughput: Apple throttles aggressive sessions. Typical sustained transfer is 50–150 GB per day per Apple ID.
Recently Deleted retention: 30 days, then permanent deletion.
Shared Albums: lower-resolution, separate namespace — not accessible via CloudsLinker.
Advanced Data Protection: when enabled, iCloud Photos is E2E-encrypted and CloudsLinker cannot decrypt content (only see metadata).
Apple’s official transfer service: privacy.apple.com → Google Photos transfer takes 3–7 days, doesn’t include face tags or albums, runs once per request.
HEIC, Live Photo, RAW: transferred at original quality where destination supports; converted to JPEG / MP4 where it doesn’t.
Albums and face tags: iCloud-only metadata, do NOT transfer to other clouds (CloudsLinker or Apple’s official tool).

Sources: Apple: Manage iCloud storage, Apple: Transfer copy of photos to Google Photos, Google Photos Help: Transfer iCloud photos, iCloud Photos sync overview.

iCloud Photos + CloudsLinker — Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from Apple's privacy.apple.com transfer?

Apple's official transfer to Google Photos works but is one-shot and takes 3–7 days. CloudsLinker is faster (typically 1–2 days for 200 GB libraries), supports any of 140+ destinations (not just Google Photos), and can be scheduled to run repeatedly — important if you want ongoing backup rather than a one-time migration.

Are HEIC, Live Photos, and RAW preserved at original quality?

Yes. CloudsLinker pulls original-quality assets from iCloud Photos and writes them to the destination at the same fidelity. HEIC stays HEIC where supported (Google Photos, OneDrive, NAS); converts to JPEG on destinations that don't accept HEIC. Live Photos transfer as paired .HEIC + .MOV files. iPhone Pro RAW (.DNG) transfers natively.

Do my albums and face tags carry across?

No. Albums you created in Photos and Apple's face-recognition tags are iCloud-only metadata that no transfer tool can preserve cross-provider. Photos and embedded EXIF metadata (date taken, GPS, camera model) do transfer. After migration, you'll re-create albums and let Google's / OneDrive's face recognition rebuild face tags.

What's the storage limit on iCloud Photos?

No published library size limit beyond your iCloud storage quota. Pricing scales: 5 GB free, then iCloud+ at 50 GB / 200 GB / 2 TB / 6 TB / 12 TB. Photos and videos count against the same total as iCloud Drive and device backups.

Will Apple rate-limit my photo migration?

Yes, somewhat. Apple throttles aggressive web-API session activity. CloudsLinker paces requests to stay under detection and pauses / resumes automatically when Apple slows the session. Typical sustained throughput is 50–150 GB/day per Apple ID — meaning a 1 TB library completes in roughly a week of background transfer.

Does CloudsLinker work with Shared Albums?

No. Shared Albums are a separate, lower-resolution iCloud feature for sharing photos with others — not part of the main iCloud Photos library and intentionally not full-resolution. CloudsLinker accesses the main library only.

Can I back up only specific years or albums?

Yes. Filter by date range (e.g. only 2024–2026), file type (only videos, only photos), file size, or specific top-level Smart Albums. Stack filters for precise control — useful for cold-archiving older years to cheaper storage while keeping recent photos in iCloud.

What about Advanced Data Protection (ADP)?

When ADP is enabled on the Apple ID, iCloud Photos is end-to-end encrypted and CloudsLinker can read only metadata (filenames, dates, sizes), not photo content. To migrate, temporarily disable ADP on the account being migrated, run the transfer, then re-enable ADP. Alternatively, re-upload to ADP after migration.

Does CloudsLinker store my Apple ID or 2FA code?

Your Apple ID + password are encrypted at rest with AES-256 and used only to maintain the iCloud session. The 2FA code is one-shot and never stored. You can revoke CloudsLinker's access at any time from appleid.apple.com → Sign-In and Security → Devices.

Is CloudsLinker an official Apple partner?

No. CloudsLinker is a third-party tool that authenticates the same way Apple's own web clients do. Your Apple ID retains full control; revoke CloudsLinker's session from appleid.apple.com at any time.

iCloud Photos transfer guides

Step-by-step walkthroughs for moving data to and from iCloud Photos.

A Practical Way to Bring iCloud Photos Into Zoho WorkDrive (So Your Team Can Actually Use Them)

Transfer iCloud Photos to Zoho WorkDrive for team collaboration alongside Zoho CRM, Projects, and Mail. 3 methods including a direct …

A Practical Way to Mirror iCloud Photos into Dropbox (So You’re Not Stuck in One Ecosystem)

Trying to keep a second copy of your iCloud Photos in Dropbox? This guide walks through three realistic paths—browser exports, iPhone …

Backing Up iCloud Photos to Box (Without Touching Your Hard Drive)

Move iCloud Photos to Box for enterprise compliance and team access. 3 methods including a direct cloud-to-cloud transfer that skips local …

Backing Up iCloud Photos to MEGA Without Breaking Your Albums

Need a reliable way to move photos from iCloud Photos to MEGA? This guide shares three realistic approaches—from album downloads to direct …

Backing Up iCloud Photos to OneDrive Without Breaking Your Albums

Need a reliable way to move photos from iCloud Photos to OneDrive? This guide shares three realistic approaches—from album downloads to …

From iPhone to Team Library: How to Move iCloud Photos Into SharePoint Document Libraries

Transfer iCloud Photos to SharePoint for team collaboration. 3 methods compared: manual upload, PowerShell/CLI, and direct cloud-to-cloud …

Getting Your iCloud Photos Into Wasabi: Three Methods That Actually Work

Want to move your iCloud Photos library to Wasabi object storage? This guide covers three practical approaches—browser download and upload, …

How I Copied My iCloud Photos Library to pCloud Without Losing Albums

Looking for a realistic way to move photos from iCloud Photos to pCloud? This guide breaks down three practical methods—manual downloads, …

How I Got My iCloud Photos Out of Apple's Infrastructure and Into Jottacloud

Back up iCloud Photos to Jottacloud — Norwegian servers, GDPR by default, unlimited storage. 3 methods including direct cloud-to-cloud …

Conclusion

iCloud Photos is the photo backbone of every Apple device — and the hardest photo cloud to get out of without losing original quality. CloudsLinker preserves HEIC, Live Photos, and 4K originals during transfers to Google Photos, OneDrive, Synology, and 140+ other destinations, with scheduling and filters that Apple's own one-shot Takeout doesn't offer. Connect once with Apple ID + 2FA and run migrations or recurring backups from the browser.

Start Your Free iCloud Photos Transfer