How to easily switch from Android to iOS with Google apps

Switching to an iPhone after years of using an Android phone is no easy task. You’re not just switching to a new phone, but a new ecosystem. It’s a big switch, and few people aren’t going to quit Google cold turkey for iCloud. Given your familiarity with an Android device and, more importantly, with Google services, you might be wondering if there’s a way to soak up all the goodness of an iPhone without giving up the comfort of Android.

While Android 13 and iOS 16 have a lot in common, you can’t sideload apps, transfer files via Bluetooth, or create a guest account.

With these limitations in mind, here’s how to get comfortable with your new Android-powered iPhone.

How to add your Google accounts on iPhone

You first need access to your Google accounts on your new iPhone. If you’ve been using an Android phone, your primary Google Account has your passwords, contacts and other personal details you might need later, apart from your emails. Adding your Google Account is easy.

1. Go to Settings > Mailand then press Accounts.
2. Select add Accountand select Google as your email provider.
3. You will be taken to the Google login page.

   

   

4. Enter the email address followed by the password.
5. Once accepted, you’ll be prompted to select the apps you want to sync.

   

6. Select Mail, Contacts, Calendarsand Notes if you need them on your iPhone. You can also do this later from Settings > Mail > Accounts.
7. Press Saveand you are done.

You can now access your emails from the Mail app, contacts backed up in your Google account, sync with your iPhone’s Contacts app, calendar sync and more.

Install your favorite Google apps from the App Store

Next, you need your Google apps. Almost every Google app or service on Android is available in the App Store, and most offer the same features as their Android counterparts.

1. Google App
2. Google Chrome
3. Google Maps
4. Google Photos
5. Google Drive
6. Gmail
7. YouTube
8. Google Assistant
9. Google Keep
10. Google Calendar
11. Google Meet
12. Google Docs
13. Google News
14. Snapseed
15. Google Pay
16. Gboard
17. Google Home
18. Google Duo
19. Google Fit

Change the default browser on your iPhone to Google Chrome

Since iOS allows users to use third-party browsers by default, you can use Google Chrome as your primary browser and forget that Safari exists. You can also sync your passwords and other automatic sign-in details stored in your Google Account.

1. Install The Google Chrome app from the App Store.
2. Go to Settings and scroll down to find Chrome among the list of installed apps. Tap it to enter Settings.
3. Press Default browser app and choose Chrome.
4. You may be prompted to set it as your default when you open Chrome for the first time.

   

   

5. Open to sync your Google account Chrome.
6. Press three dots icon at the bottom and select Settings.
7. Press Turn on Sync and add your Google account.

   

8. Choose to either merge existing data with your Google account or set up a new one.
9. Then go to Synchronize in Settings and select the items you want to sync from Chrome on your older Android or PC to your iPhone.

   

Back up your photos and videos in Google Photos

Next are your photos. Photos taken on iPhone are stored by default in the Photos app, which are then synced to iCloud. Apple offers 5GB of free storage for your photos, iOS backups, and everything else. But if you’ve been using an Android device, your old photos have probably been stored in Google Photos. You can continue to do that with your iPhone photos as well.

1. Install The Google Photos app from the App Store.
2. Select Google account from the list or log in to a new one.
3. Select Backup as (your name).

   

4. You can upload your photos compressed or in original quality (for which you may want a Google One account).
5. Once that’s done, the photos and videos stored on your iPhone will sync with Google Photos.
6. You can also access your older photos from the Google Photos app.

When iOS finally embraces home screen widgets, you can get information from your Google apps right after you unlock your phone. To get the widgets, you need to install the Google apps.

1. Long press an empty part of the home screen until the icons wobble.
2. Press + icon in the upper left corner to go to Selection of widgets Menu.
3. There are several widgets for each major Google app, such as Maps, Disk, and Search. Google Chrome’s dinosaur game also has its own widget.
4. Select the size you want and drag it to add it to an empty part of the home screen.

   

Enable Google Assistant

Although there is no direct way to replace Siri with Google Assistant on iPhone, you can set up a Siri shortcut to bring up Google Assistant with the command word “OK Google”.

1. download The Google Assistant app from the App Store.
2. Launch Google Assistant and press on snapshot button in the lower left corner.

   

3. Press the prompt that says Add Ok Google to Siri.
4. Press Add Siri.

   

   

5. The next page is an overview of the shortcut. Press Add Siri.
6. When you’re done, bring up Siri and say “Ok Google.” Google Assistant appears.

Get ready to be frustrated by iOS

The difference between Android and iOS is minimal. There may be things you really dislike about iOS, but our list of annoying Android features is just as long. If iOS isn’t your cup of tea, iPhones have excellent resale value and you can easily sell or trade in your phone for a new Android.