To use Google Photos instead of iCloud for storing and organizing your photos, follow these steps:
1. Download and Install Google Photos: Open the App Store on your iPhone and search for “Google Photos.” Download and install the app on your device.
2. Sign in to Google Photos: Launch the Google Photos app and sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you can easily create a new account.
3. Transfer Photos from iCloud to Google Photos: Before disabling iCloud Photos, it’s essential to transfer your existing photos from iCloud to Google Photos. There are a few ways to do this:
A. Manual Transfer: Open the Photos app on your iPhone, select the desired photos or albums, and use the “Share” option to save them to Google Photos. This method is best for a smaller number of photos.
B. Google Photos App Import: Within the Google Photos app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), go to “Settings,” and select “Back up & sync.” Enable the “Back up & sync” option, and the app will automatically upload your photos from the device’s camera roll to Google Photos.
C. Google Photos Desktop Import: If you have a large number of photos stored in iCloud, you can use the Google Photos desktop uploader for Mac or Windows. Download and install the uploader, sign in with your Google account, and select the photos you want to import.
4. Disable iCloud Photos: After successfully transferring your photos to Google Photos, you can choose to disable iCloud Photos to prevent any further syncing with iCloud. To do this, go to the “Settings” app on your iPhone, tap on your Apple ID at the top, select “iCloud,” then “Photos.” Toggle off the “iCloud Photos” option.
5. Automatically Backup to Google Photos: To ensure that your future photos are automatically backed up to Google Photos, open the Google Photos app, tap the menu icon, go to “Settings,” and select “Back up & sync.” Enable the “Back up & sync” option, and your new photos will be automatically uploaded to Google Photos.
By following these steps, you can seamlessly transition from using iCloud Photos to Google Photos on your iPhone. Google Photos offers unlimited free storage for high-quality photos and videos, making it a convenient and cost-effective alternative to iCloud.