Smoothing out the migration process from one platform to the other is obviously a crucial part of Apple and Google’s strategy to lure consumers over from their rivals, and this feature is essentially a response to Apple’s Android app that helps you do the reverse. But how do you actually use Google’s new feature to make the great platform switch? Read on to find out.
The Google Drive Method
First, you’ll need to make sure you have the latest version of Google Drive on your iOS device by going to the App Store and downloading it. Next, open Google Drive, sign in with the Gmail account that you’ll be using on your Android device, tap the three-lined menu icon (so-called “Hamburger menu”) at the top left, then tap “Settings -> Backup.”
By default, Drive will back up all your iOS contacts, calendar events, photos and videos from your iPhone (and iCloud) to your Google Drive account (putting them into Google Contacts, Google Calendar and Google Photos, respectively). If you don’t want one of these categories backed up, just tap it on the screen, then on the next screen tap the blue slider to de-select it for backup. Once you’ve chosen what you’d like to back up, tap the blue “Start Backup” option on the “Back up with Google Drive” screen. Give Drive permission to access your contacts, calendar and photos, then proceed with the backup.
The process can take several hours, but if you want to pause it and carry on later, just tap “Stop Backup,” and you can return to it at any time. Bear in mind that you can only back up an amount of data that matches the amount of free space you have in Google Drive (which is 15GB, by default).
Once the backup is complete, it’s simply a matter of turning on your Android device and making sure you’re signed into the Google account you backed up your iOS data to.
If you’re not signed in on your Android device, go to “Settings -> Accounts” (or Accounts & sync or similar), tap “Add account -> Google,” and enter your Google account details. Once you’ve done this, your backed-up iOS data in Google should automatically sync with your contacts, calendar info and photos all now available on your device.
The Google Pixel Method
Remember that if you have a Google Pixel or Pixel XL, then you don’t need to go through this whole process and can just use the Quick Switch adapter. This comes packed with the phone and lets you transfer your data from an iPhone to your Pixel directly via a cable, saving you a whole load of time!
Conclusion
Switching phones within the Android or iOS ecosystem isn’t too hard these days, but moving from one to the other can feel like an intimidating leap to make. The reality is that with features like this, and Apple’s Move to iOS, it’s a whole lot simpler than you think. It’s crucial to remember that you’re not confined by one platform or another any more and shouldn’t feel trapped by worrying that you might lose your data. iOS or Android, you owe your platform nothing and are free to switch relatively seamlessly between the two as you see fit. Make the most of it!
