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 letting go of the comforts of Android.

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

Keeping these restrictions in mind, here's how to get comfortable with your new iPhone coming from Android.

How to add your Google accounts to your iPhone

You first need access to your Google accounts on your new iPhone. If you've been using an Android phone, the primary Google account has your passwords, contacts, and other personal details that you might need later, aside from your emails. It's easy to add your Google account.

Go to Settings > Mail, and then tap Accounts.
Select Add Account, and select Google as the email provider.
You're taken to the Google Sign-in page.
Enter the email address followed by the password.
Once accepted, you're asked to select the apps you want to sync.
Select Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Notes if you need them on your iPhone. You can also do this later from Settings > Mail > Accounts.
Tap Save, and you're done.

You can now access your emails from the Mail app, the contacts backed up in your Google account sync to your iPhone's Contacts app, calendars 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.

Switch the default browser on your iPhone to Google Chrome

Since iOS allows users to use third-party web browsers as default, you can use Google Chrome as your primary browser and forget Safari exists. You can also sync your passwords and other auto-login details stored in your Google account.

Install the Google Chrome app from the App Store.
Go to Settings and scroll down to find Chrome among the list of installed apps. Tap it to enter Settings.
Tap Default Browser App and select Chrome.
You may get a notification to set it as default upon opening Chrome for the first time.
To sync your Google account, open Chrome.
Tap the three-dot icon at the bottom and select Settings.
Tap Turn on Sync and add your Google account.
Choose to either merge the existing data with your Google account or set up fresh.
Next, go to Sync in Settings and select the items you want to sync from Chrome in your older Android or PC to your iPhone.

Back up your photos and video in Google Photos

Next up are your photos. Photos taken on your iPhone are stored by default in the Photos app, which is then synced to iCloud. Apple offers 5GB of free storage for your photos, iOS backups, and everything else. However, if you've been using an Android device, your old photos have likely been saved in Google Photos. You can continue doing so with your iPhone photos as well.

Install the Google Photos app from the App Store.
Select the Google account from the list or log in to a new one.
Select Back up as (your name).
You can upload your photos compressed or in their original quality (which you may want a Google One account for).
Once done, the images and videos saved in your iPhone sync to Google Photos.
You can also access your older photos from the Google Photos app.

Add Google widgets to homescreen

With iOS finally cozying up to widgets on the homescreen, you can have information from your Google apps right after you unlock your phone. To get the widgets, you need to install the Google apps.

Long press an empty part of the homescreen until the icons wobble.
Tap the + icon in the upper-left corner to go to the Widgets selection menu.
There are multiple widgets for each major Google app, like Maps, Drive, and Search. Google Chrome's dinosaur game also has its own widget.
Pick the size you want and drag it to add it to an empty part of the homescreen.

Enable Google Assistant

While there's no direct way to replace Siri with Google Assistant on your iPhone, you can set up a Siri shortcut to bring up Google Assistant with the 'OK Google' hotword.

Download the Google Assistant app from the App Store.
Launch Google Assistant and tap the snapshot button in the lower-left corner.
Tap the prompt that says Add Ok Google to Siri.
Tap Add to Siri.
The next page is an overview of the shortcut. Tap Add to Siri.
Once done, bring up Siri and say, "Ok Google." Google Assistant pops up.

Get ready to be frustrated by iOS

The difference between Android and iOS is minimal. There may be things you'll 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 your phone for a new Android.