Can You Sync Your Photos Between iCloud and Google Photos?
AI-generated, human-reviewed.
Want your photos available in both iCloud Photos and Google Photos? Mikah Sargent found that full, live synchronization isn’t possible due to platform restrictions, but you can use practical workarounds and third-party tools to keep your photo libraries backed up on both services. Here’s what actually works—and what you should avoid.
Understanding the Photo Sync Challenge
Many users want their phone’s pictures in both Apple iCloud Photos (for seamless iOS integration) and Google Photos (for backup, sharing, and robust search features). But, as Mikah Sargent discussed on Hands-On Tech, the two big tech companies don’t play nice: true, live, two-way sync just isn’t available.
Both Apple and Google allow exporting and importing, but there’s no “merge all changes instantly” sync. If you delete or edit a photo in one service, that won’t automatically update in the other.
Quick Summary: What’s Possible, What’s Not
- Automatic backup: You can have your iPhone or iPad upload new photos to both iCloud and Google Photos.
- Real sync/merge: Not possible—deletions and edits don’t carry over between services.
- Library migration: There are apps and tools to transfer or duplicate your existing library, but it’s a manual or semi-manual process.
How to Set Up iCloud and Google Photos Backup Together
Option 1: Use Your iPhone/iPad as a Bridge
- Make sure iCloud Photos is enabled on your iOS device (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos).
- Download and install the Google Photos app.
- Sign into your Google account and turn on Backup & Sync within the app.
- With current iOS updates, Google Photos can now sync photos from your device in the background (no need to keep the app open).
This solution ensures new photos are uploaded to both libraries. However, actions taken in one platform (like deleting or editing images) will not update in the other.
Option 2: Advanced Library Transfers and Organization
If you want to move your complete photo library—or keep a secondary backup—third-party tools can help:
- PhotoSync (approx. $4–6 one-time): Available for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Linux, PhotoSync lets you transfer batches of photos between iCloud, Google Photos, and other services. It also preserves metadata like dates and locations.
- Mylio: Acts as a central hub that organizes your libraries from iCloud, Google Photos, and other devices/servers. There’s a free tier, but advanced features and multi-service sync require a paid plan.
These tools are powerful, but they do not enable “live, two-way sync”—think of them as ways to duplicate or migrate your library.
Key Takeaways
- There’s no perfect two-way sync: Apple and Google don’t allow automated, seamless library merging between their platforms.
- You can easily back up new photos to both: Use both iCloud and Google Photos apps on your iPhone/iPad for peace of mind.
- Managing duplicates and edits is manual: You’ll need to clean up, organize, or merge changes in each service independently.
- Third-party apps help with bulk transfers: PhotoSync and Mylio are recommended for larger migrations or when re-organizing decades of photos.
What This Means for You
If you value backup or want redundancy, having your photos in both iCloud Photos and Google Photos is smart. However, if you need to maintain one “true” collection, you’ll have to periodically select which library is your “main” one, and duplicate or migrate as needed. For simple backup, the iPhone/iPad method covers most people’s needs; for advanced organization or mass transfer, consider PhotoSync or Mylio.
The Bottom Line
You cannot set up automatic, two-way syncing (including deletions and edits) between iCloud Photos and Google Photos in 2024. For most, the dual app method gets your images backed up; power users can invest in transfer apps for more control. Choose your main photo library for long-term organization, and treat the other as backup.
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