Yes. FolioSort is free to download and the free tier processes up to 100 files per operation, so you can test the full workflow. Pro (€14.99 one-time, no subscription) removes the limit for large libraries and adds duplicate detection.

Migration Guide iCloud Photos macOS

Move Google Photos to iCloud — Without Breaking Your Timeline

Google Takeout exports strip real dates and buries GPS in JSON files. Uploading directly to iCloud causes thousands of photos to appear as "taken today". FolioSort completely restores your EXIF metadata locally on your Mac before your migration.

Google Photos ──── FolioSort ────→ ☁️ iCloud Photos

Download FolioSort Free Takeout Guide First →

Free to download — 100 files free No account, no sign-up Runs 100% on your Mac

FolioSort on macOS importing a Google Takeout folder — restoring dates and GPS and previewing the organized Year/Month folders before moving them into iCloud Drive

FolioSort restores every capture date and GPS location from your Takeout metadata, then previews the clean Year/Month library before you import it into iCloud.

Google Photos vs iCloud Photos for Mac users

If you use a Mac, iPhone, and iPad, iCloud Photos is the tighter fit. Here's how they compare.

Google Photos — Pain Points

Separate app, not integrated with macOS Finder

Metadata in JSON sidecars, not in EXIF

No native Mac app — browser or Android-first

Price increases over time

Your data trains Google's AI models

iCloud Photos — Advantages

Native Apple Photos app on macOS, iOS, iPadOS

EXIF-based timeline — correct dates always

Integrated with Finder, Shortcuts, and Spotlight

Shared with Apple One subscription

On-device processing — Apple does not scan your photos

How to migrate — step by step

Export from Google Takeout

Visit takeout.google.com. Select only Google Photos. Download all zip parts. Extract into ~/Google-Takeout-Raw/.

Fix dates with FolioSort

Open FolioSort and select Google Photos (Beta) in the sidebar. Point it at your Takeout folder and click Scan. FolioSort reads every .json sidecar and writes the real date and GPS back into each image's EXIF. Duplicates are removed.

Organize, then import into Apple Photos

In the same panel, toggle Organise into date folders, pick a template, choose Copy or Move and click Process. Then in the Photos app go to File → Import and select that organized folder. Apple Photos reads EXIF dates and GPS — your timeline appears perfectly in order.

Enable iCloud Photos

In Apple Photos, go to Photos → Settings → iCloud. Check "iCloud Photos." Your entire imported library now syncs to iPhone, iPad, and Mac automatically.

Wait for sync to complete

iCloud uploads on your internet connection. Large libraries (50,000+ photos) may take days on a home connection — keep your Mac plugged in and connected. Progress shows in Photos' sidebar.

Delete Google Photos (optional)

Once you've verified your iCloud library is complete and correct, you can cancel Google One storage and delete your Google Photos account. Keep a local backup first — always.

Why the metadata fix is critical for iCloud

Apple Photos uses EXIF DateTimeOriginal to build your timeline. If that field is wrong, Apple Photos is wrong.

Correct Timeline in Apple Photos

Without fixing EXIF first, every imported photo appears in today's date cluster in Apple Photos. With FolioSort's fix, each photo lands in the right month and year — correctly.

Places View Works

Apple Photos' Places view maps photos to where they were taken. This only works if GPS is in EXIF. FolioSort restores GPS from Takeout JSON so your Places map is populated.

Memories Work Properly

Apple Photos' Memories feature creates automated albums by date and location. False dates produce false memories. Fix the dates first and Memories reflect your real life.

iCloud Drive Alternative

With FolioSort Pro, you can also organize directly to iCloud Drive (not Apple Photos) — giving you Finder-accessible folders synced across all your devices.

Explore other destinations

🏠 Google Photos → Immich

Prefer true self-hosting without iCloud? Immich gives you Google Photos' features on your own hardware.

💻 Google Photos → Local Mac

Just want all photos on your Mac without any cloud? This guide covers the local-only migration.

🖥️ Google Photos → Synology NAS

Move your library to a Synology NAS for local high-speed access without relying on iCloud pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Moving Google Photos to iCloud on a Mac, answered.

How do I move my Google Photos library into iCloud?

Export your photos with Google Takeout and extract the zip parts into one folder. Open FolioSort, select Google Photos (Beta) in the sidebar, point it at that folder and click Scan to restore the real dates and GPS from the JSON sidecars. Organise into clean Year/Month folders, then import that folder into Apple Photos (File → Import) and turn on iCloud Photos so it syncs to all your Apple devices.

Why do my Google Photos all show today's date after importing?

Takeout stores the real capture date in separate .json sidecar files, not in the photo's EXIF, so Apple Photos files everything under today. FolioSort reads those sidecars and writes the correct DateTimeOriginal back into each file before you import — so your Apple Photos and iCloud timeline is accurate.

Is FolioSort free?

Yes. FolioSort is free to download and the free tier processes up to 100 files per operation, so you can test the full workflow end to end. Pro (€14.99, one-time — no subscription) removes the limit for large libraries and adds duplicate detection.

Does FolioSort upload my photos anywhere?

No. FolioSort runs 100% locally on your Mac and never uploads your photos or metadata to any server. Your photos only reach iCloud when Apple Photos syncs them via your own iCloud account, after you import the organized library.

Can I organize straight into iCloud Drive instead of Apple Photos?

Yes. With FolioSort Pro you can set the destination to your iCloud Drive folder and organize directly into Finder-accessible Year/Month folders that sync across all your devices — an alternative to importing into the Apple Photos library.

Will FolioSort modify my original Takeout files?

No. FolioSort only removes a source file if you explicitly choose Move; with Copy your raw Takeout files stay untouched. You can review the live preview tree before clicking Process, so nothing changes until you confirm.

Does this work on Windows too?

FolioSort runs on both macOS 14+ and Windows 10+, and the same Google Photos (Beta) metadata fix and folder organization work on either. Importing into Apple Photos and iCloud Photos is a Mac step, but the FolioSort half of the workflow is identical on a Windows PC.