Can you move an iPhone backup from iCloud to Google Drive?
An iCloud device backup only restores on an iPhone. What you can move to Google Drive and Google Photos is your photos, files, contacts and calendar.
Photo by Bimbingan Islam on Unsplash
Many guides promise a way to switch your iPhone backup from iCloud to Google. The honest answer is that the backup itself stays with Apple. It contains your apps, settings and messages in a form only Apple's systems can restore. The good news is that the things you care about most, like photos and contacts, can move. Here is how to move each one.
Move your photos to Google Photos
- 1
Install Google Photos on your iPhone and sign in with your Google account.
- 2
Allow access to your photos and turn on Backup.
Google Photos then uploads your library over time, using your Google storage.
- 3
Keep iCloud Photos on until the upload finishes.
Check that your photos appear in Google Photos before you delete anything from iCloud.
To grab photos that are only in iCloud, see how to download photos from iCloud. To decide which to keep using, read Google Photos vs iCloud.
Move iCloud Drive files to Google Drive
- On an iPhone: install Google Drive, open the Files app, long press a file or folder from iCloud Drive, and copy it to the Google Drive location.
- On a computer: install the iCloud and Google Drive desktop apps, then drag files from one folder to the other.
- On the web: download files from iCloud.com and upload them to drive.google.com. This is slow for many files.
Move contacts and calendar
Add your Google account in your iPhone settings and turn on Contacts and Calendars for it. The exact menu depends on your iOS version, but it is under the settings for Contacts and Calendar accounts. Your contacts and events then sync with Google. Check that they are there before you turn off the iCloud versions.
Back up an iPhone to Google going forward
The Google Drive app on iPhone has a backup option for some data, such as contacts, calendar events and photos. It is not a full device backup, so it cannot bring back your apps, settings or messages the way iCloud Backup does. If you want a full iPhone backup, keep using iCloud Backup or back up to a computer. See how to back up an iPhone.
Moving because iCloud is full?
If you want to switch because iCloud storage is full, you do not have to leave it completely. Moving photos to Google Photos can free most of your iCloud space, and a small iCloud plan still keeps your device backup. See our guide to an iCloud storage that is full before you pay for more.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer my iPhone backup from iCloud to Google Drive?
No. An iCloud device backup is stored in Apple's format and can only restore to an iPhone or iPad. You can move your photos, files, contacts and calendar to Google instead.
How do I move iCloud photos to Google Photos?
Download them from iCloud.com or the Photos app and upload them to Google Photos, or install the Google Photos app on your iPhone and let it back up your library.
Will deleting my iCloud backup delete my Google Drive files?
No. They are separate. Make sure the files are on Google Drive and open before you delete anything on iCloud.
Can I back up my whole iPhone to Google Drive?
Not as a full device backup. The Google Drive app can back up some data such as contacts, calendar events and photos, but it cannot restore apps, settings and messages like iCloud Backup.
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