Tired of iOS? Want to explore the much greener android pastures? For those of you who think switching from iOS to Android is a daunting task, there’s good news. With Google drive’s new backup feature, the whole process is now a piece of cake!
Over the years, both platforms have been introducing feature after feature to lure customers to use their products. To make the migration from Android to iOS an easy task, Apple came up with the “Move to iOS” app.
In response to this move, Google has introduced the Google Drive Backup feature that lets iOS users back up their contacts, photos, videos, and calendar events, and then transfer them easily to their new Android device.
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So, how do you go about making the switch from iOS to Android using Google Drive Backup? Let’s find out.
Using Google Drive:
Step 1: Go to the app store and download Google Drive on your iOS device. Make sure that you are downloading the latest version.
Step 2: Log in to the Google Drive, using your Gmail account.
Step 3: After signing in, tap the hamburger menu button (three lined icon on the top left).
Step 4: Select Settings – > Backup. Google Drive, by default, will back up all your calendar events, contacts, photos, and videos from your iOS device to your Google Calendar, Google Contacts, and Google Photos respectively.
Step 5: If you don’t want to back up a certain item, you can choose to deselect it for backup.
Note: An important thing to keep in mind is that the size of the data to be backed up should not exceed the amount of free space available in your Google Drive (15GB, by default).
Step 6: After you’ve chosen the items you want to back up, select the Start Backup option displayed on the “Back up with Google Drive” screen. Grant permission to Google Drive to access your contacts, calendar, videos, and photos.
Step 7: The backup process may take several hours, so it is recommended that you connect your device to a power source as well as a Wi-Fi. At any point, if you wish to pause the backup, you can click the Stop Backup button and resume the process later.
Step 8: Once the backup process is complete, switch on your Android device. Make sure that you’re logged into the same Google account that you had used to back up your iOS device.
Step 9: In case you’re not logged in on your Android device, you can do so by going to Settings – > Accounts. Select Add account – > Google, and sign in with your Google account details.
Step 10: After signing in, you’ll notice that the iOS data you had backed-up in Google are all now available on your android device and they’ve been automatically synced with your calendar details, contacts, photos, and videos.
Using Google Pixel:
The entire process mentioned above can be avoided if you are using Google Pixel because you can get it all done by just using the Quick Switch Adapter.
This feature is available with the Pixel phone, and it allows you to move your data from an iOS device to your Android directly with the help of a cable. Not only is this method very easy, but it’s also a huge time saver too.
Many people, although they badly want to switch from iOS to Android, often hesitate to make a move, thinking about the ordeal in front of them. But things have changed a lot, and now it’s possible to accomplish the task in just a few steps.
Use Google Drive to back up your data, sign in to your Android device, and you’re on your way to explore the beauty of the Android world. It’s as simple as that!
Even if you don’t want to move from iOS to Android, you can still use the Google Drive backup feature to simply backup your content for safekeeping.
Mind you, and it is not possible to backup text messages and music libraries with Google Drive. To back up such content, you’ll have to use third-party tools. Hopefully, further Google Drive updates will allow migration of more data types.
For Android users, there are a plethora of features waiting to be explored – better-operating systems, faster updates, and a wide range of smartphones to choose from.
Those who are more into the purest Android experience without any manufacturer skins can opt for the Stock ROM for Android while others can choose to install Custom ROMS.
Now that you know how to make the switch from iOS to Android, what are you waiting for? It’s undoubtedly a major move, but always worth a try.
