One of the recent apps launched by Google is the Switch to Android app which supports every Android 12 phone. The free iOS app will ensure that you easily switch your device from iOS to Android, and transfer significant data like contacts and activities besides other folders. The app was released by Google earlier this year but was limited to its Pixel devices only. While the company have started this feature for every Android 12 phone, it will now become easier for those who had to face issues while switching their phone from iOS to Android.
An even better feature is the QR code that appears on your iPhone during the switching process. You have to scan to start transferring procedure to send a contact list, photos, videos and more. Data can get transferred wirelessly, however, a cable connection option is also available for better and faster transferring of a large number of files. The Google app does support WhatsApp message transfer along with the photos, voice messages and full message history stored in WhatsApp. Apple already has its own Move to iOS app since 2015 to help Android users switch to iPhones and now Google is all set for the game. Although the new app has a low rating on the Play Store, for now, we hope that the migration app is polished and updated for good just like the iOS app.
How to switch from iPhone to the Android phone?
Step 1: Data Back-up on Google Drive
Once you have made up your mind to switch your iPhone to android, you must clean your phone a bit to avoid unwanted file transfers. The Google Drive app makes it easier for the users to transfer three kinds of data from iOS to Android including your calendar, contact list and camera roll.
Just install the Switch from iOS to Android app, sign in to your Google account or create a new one if you do not have one. Go to settings>backup. If you do not want a backup for any data like your calendar, you can switch it off in this step.
For the photo section, you will get two options: whether you want to upload the photos in original quality as the app will calculate your Google Drive storage capacity. High-quality images will require more space as compared to lower-quality ones, though there is very little difference in both. Your iCloud documents will not get transferred using this process, hence, you must download them to a computer before uploading them to Google Drive manually.
Step 2: Photo transfer and back-up
When you switch from iPhone to Android and activate your Android device, you will get an option to sync your old device data through a cable or over Wi-Fi. At this point, you can either transfer the data from your iPhone to the new phone manually or use Wi-Fi to transfer that might take hours to transfer larger files. Thankfully, Google Drive has a backup option and if you use iCloud, all you need to do is transfer the account simply.
Step 3: Managing contact list
If you do not want to rely upon the new app for transferring contact lists, you can export them manually from your computer by logging into iCloud.com. Start exporting data by going to the Contact Section. Look for the gear icon on the bottom left and choose Select all. Click it again and choose Export vCard to download a vCard file to your computer.
Next, you need to go to contacts.google.com and sign in. Look at the screen’s bottom-left which will prompt you to Import Link. Click and select the vCard file you have downloaded. Fix the duplicate ones if you have downloaded them by mistake to get an up-to-date contact list on your new phone. You can even export a subset of contacts using the Search field.
Step 4: Move your music
For music lovers, Subscribe to Apple Music and choose iTunes Match. This will upload a list of songs you own and allow you to download them on your new device, including the Android phone. You can even download your Apple music to YouTube Music from your Google account. Just sign in to your Google account and drag and drop your Apple Music .m4a files. They will upload to your account, though, you will need to subscribe to YT Music for easy library management.
Step 5: Syncing your iPhone with the Android phone
Once all your files are backed up properly and you are ready to start the switching process, you will be asked if you wish to copy data and apps from your old iPhone to your new Android device. Samsung, for instance, has its own Smart Switch that allows quick iPhone to Android transfer while Google will prompt you to pull in the files from Drive.
Once you connect the two phones via cable or Wi-Fi network, you get to choose which data needs to be transferred. Hopefully, you must have had all the back-ups ready so that your Android phone can detect them in the iOS device where you have downloaded them.
Step 6: Sign in to your replacement apps
To import iOS apps to Android, you must compare the app lists on both devices to ensure that they get transferred correctly. If they do not, you can go to Google Play Store and find an alternative for replacement. Since some of the iOS apps aren’t supported by the Android family, they do not transfer easily.
Step 7: Disable iMessage
After you have switched your sim card and phone number to the new Android device without turning off iMessage, your new phone may face issues receiving text messages from other iPhones. This may be because Apple will think that your number still belongs to the iOS device and send text messages which are readable in iMessage apps only. So, before you switch, go to your iPhone setting and turn the ‘FaceTime’ and ‘Messages’ off to free your future phone from any issues.
If you have already erased the messages app, go to Apple’s Deregister iMessage page and enter your phone number. You will receive a 6-digit code for confirmation. Submit it and Apple will do the rest.
Step 8: Turn off Find My iPhone and erase it
Turn off Find My Phone and become informed about how to reset an iPhone if you’re transferring all your data, especially if you’re selling or donating your smartphone. If you don’t do the latter, it might be a privacy nightmare; if you don’t do the former, the device won’t be used by the subsequent owner.
Do not, however, delete your phone data unless you are satisfied that your new smartphone has all you require. Since erasing data from an iPhone or iPad is irrevocable, it is generally best to double-check everything. Go to Settings and tap on your profile information at the top after you’re certain everything is in order. Then click Find My and toggle Find My Phone to “off.” Return to the primary Settings menu, select General, and then touch Reset. Tap Erase All Content and Settings to continue.
