Summary

  • Google adds burst photo transfer support from iPhone to Pixel, enhancing its migration tool.
  • iPhone burst photos will stack in Google Photos post-transfer, with slight differences.
  • The Pixel 9’s flexible data transfer tool will expand to more devices in 2025.



Switching from an iPhone to Android has always been a hassle. It is not possible to transfer installed apps and the associated app data, meaning you must download and set up all apps again on your new Android phone. While this limitation remains, Google has been working to make the iPhone-to-Pixel migration easier by adding Live Photos support, ensuring your memories transfer over to your new phone. Now, Google is taking things further by adding support for burst photo transfers.

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Paul Dunlop, the product lead for Android onboarding and Android settings at Google, announced Burst Photo transfer support from iOS to Pixel. So, when you switch to your new Pixel, all the burst photos shot on your iPhone will seamlessly transfer to it. The change will enable you to select the best picture from the lot even after migrating to your Pixel.


Dunlop notes the feature is already live on Pixel devices running the latest build available. You can access the migration tool during the initial device setup or through the Android Switch app.

Further, Dunlop clarified that all iPhone burst photos will appear as a stack in Google Photos, provided you have the option enabled. Since there are a “few differences between how Apple Photos and Google Photos determine stacks,” the mapping might not always be perfect. Still, it should be good enough to get the job done.

Seamlessly transferring your iPhone’s burst photos to a Pixel might not seem like a game-changer, especially considering the other important data that can’t be migrated between the two platforms. Yet, this small change will ensure your precious memories seamlessly transfer to your new Pixel.



Pixel 9’s data transfer feature coming to more devices

For now, burst photo migration from the iPhone is only available on Pixel phones. However, this feature is expected to roll out to more devices in 2025, as Google plans to expand the Pixel 9’s flexible data transfer tool to more devices.

Apart from allowing you to select the data you want to transfer, the tool will let you initiate the migration process even after you have set up your Android phone.