Photos

Apple continues to offer users increased control over their iCloud data. One recent feature makes it easy to copy an entire iCloud Photo library to Google Photos. Instead of downloading photos locally and then uploading them to another service, Apple's Data and Privacy hub transfers them directly from iCloud to a Google account. The only limitation is storage space requirements.

Nintendo Switch fans looking to share their favorite gaming moments can easily transfer screenshots right to their smartphone. All it takes to snap a screenshot or record a video on the Nintendo Switch is to tap or long press the square button on the left Joy-Con. These photos are collected in the Album and stored in memory on the device. Getting them to the iPhone means they can be posted or shared using any app.

The photos widget on iPhone livens up the home screen with your favorite pictures. The only problem is there are probably some images in the Photos library that won't look great on the home screen. Luckily, with iOS 14 and later omitting some photos from the home screen widget is easy. Photos can be removed immediately when they appear, or hidden ahead of time.

The Photos app on iOS devices has a special hidden album built-in. While the Hidden Album doesn't secure private photos, it's an easy way to keep images out of the main camera roll. Pictures that are hidden won't show up in Recents or any other album in the photo library. The only place they can be viewed is by opening the Hidden Album.

Apple continues to deliver more granular control over privacy options. The release of iOS 14 adds the ability to decide exactly which photos can be accessed by third-party apps. As always, users can prevent an app from accessing the Photos library or allow an app full access to all images. When specific photos are chosen an app such as Facebook can only read those images, while the rest of your Photos library remains off limits.