iCloud is Apple’s cloud storage service that comes integrated with iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. It provides a seamless way to backup photos, documents, contacts, calendars, and more across Apple devices. However, some iPhone users may prefer to use Google Drive for cloud storage instead of iCloud.
Can I completely replace iCloud with Google Drive on iPhone?
Unfortunately, you cannot completely replace or remove iCloud and solely use Google Drive for cloud storage on an iPhone. iCloud is deeply integrated into iOS and many system functions rely on it. For example, iCloud handles automatic device backups, syncs photos across devices, stores Keychain passwords, locates lost devices with Find My, and more.Trying to disable iCloud completely on an iPhone would cause many core features to stop working properly.
However, it is possible to use Google Drive alongside iCloud on an iPhone. You can upload files to Google Drive, access Drive documents, and free up iCloud storage space without fully replacing the iCloud system. Certain workarounds allow maximizing Google Drive while minimizing reliance on iCloud.
Should I use Google Drive or iCloud on iPhone?
Here is a comparison of iCloud vs Google Drive on iPhone to help decide which option may be better for your needs:
iCloud
- Seamlessly integrated with iPhone, iPad, Mac
- Backs up devices automatically
- Syncs photos across Apple devices
- Locates lost devices with Find My
- Shared albums to collaborate on photos
- Syncs bookmarks, documents, contacts, calendars
- End-to-end encryption for sensitive data
- iCloud Keychain stores passwords securely
- Limited free storage (5GB)
Google Drive
- Works across iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac
- Office document creation and editing
- Advanced file sharing options
- More free storage (15GB)
- AI search to find files easily
- Integrated with Gmail, Photos, Calendar
- Easier storage management
- Add-on apps like Dropbox, Slack
- No automatic backup or device sync
In summary, iCloud is ideal if you’re deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem and want seamless syncing across Apple devices. Google Drive offers more cross-platform accessibility, free storage space, and integration with non-Apple apps and services.
How to access Google Drive on iPhone
Here are the main ways to access Google Drive files and documents on an iPhone:
Google Drive app
Download the free Google Drive app from the App Store. Sign in with your Google account to access all files and folders in your Drive. You can view, share, download, and upload documents.
Files app
The built-in Files app on iPhone has Google Drive integration. Open Files, tap “Browse” and select Google Drive to access your cloud documents.
Safari web browser
Visit drive.google.com in the Safari web browser and login to your Google account. You can manage Drive files and settings through the web interface.
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
Install the separate apps for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to create, edit, and collaborate on documents.
Third-party apps
Apps like Documents by Readdle and FileExplorer have built-in support for browsing Google Drive contents directly within the app.
How to upload photos to Google Drive on iPhone
To upload iPhone photos to Google Drive:
- Open the Google Drive app and tap the “+” button.
- Select “Upload” then choose “Photos and Videos”.
- Select the desired photos from your iPhone library to upload.
- Tap “Upload” to save the photos directly into a Drive folder.
Alternatively, open the Google Photos app, which syncs with your Drive storage. Tap “Library” > “Add photos” and select images to auto-save them to Drive.
How to upload files to Google Drive on iPhone
Follow these steps to upload any type of file from iPhone to Google Drive:
- Open the Google Drive app.
- Tap the “+” button.
- Choose “Upload file”.
- Select the desired file from your iPhone.
- Tap “Upload”.
You can also upload files by opening drive.google.com in Safari, tapping the “+” button, and selecting a file to upload from iCloud Drive or another location.
How to download Google Drive files on iPhone
To download and save Google Drive files locally on your iPhone:
- Open the Google Drive app.
- Tap on a file to open the preview.
- Tap the 3 dots menu.
- Select “Make available offline”.
This will download the file onto your iPhone so you can access it without an internet connection. The file will be available in the Google Drive app’s “Offline” section when disconnected from the internet.
How to move photos from iCloud to Google Drive
Since iCloud and Google Drive function separately, you’ll need to manually move photos between them. Here are two options:
Use Google Takeout
- Go to takeout.google.com.
- Deselect all and only select iCloud Photos.
- Choose to export to Google Drive.
- Tap “All photo albums included” to move all iCloud photos.
- Click “Export” and wait for the transfer.
Manually upload photos
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone.
- Tap on a photo album.
- Tap Select > Select All.
- Tap the share icon.
- Choose Save to Files.
- Select Google Drive and upload.
How to manage iCloud and Google Drive storage
To maximize storage across iCloud and Google Drive on your iPhone:
- Store seldom-used photos and files on Google Drive instead of iCloud.
- Use Google Photos to backup images at high quality instead of iCloud.
- Turn on Optimize iPhone Storage for iCloud Photos.
- Disable iCloud backups and use Google Drive for app data backups.
- Upload documents to Google Drive and remove Documents & Data from iCloud.
- Disable iCloud Desktop and Documents.
Best Google Drive apps for iPhone
Here are some of the top Google Drive iPhone apps for conveniently accessing and managing Drive files:
Google Drive App
Google’s official Drive app provides full access to your cloud storage directly on iPhone. Easily view, share, search, and organize Drive contents.
Documents by Readdle
This powerful iPhone file manager seamlessly integrates Google Drive for browsing, uploading, and downloading documents.
FileExplorer
A full-featured file manager for iPhone and iPad with Google Drive integration. View Drive files offline too.
Scanner Pro
Scan documents and save them directly to Google Drive with automatic OCR and smart naming.
Dropbox
Connect your Google Drive storage to Dropbox for easy sharing and transferring files between services.
Conclusion
While Google Drive cannot fully replace iCloud due to iOS integration limitations, it can be used successfully alongside iCloud for additional cloud storage and cross-platform file access on iPhone. Strategically managing photos, documents, backups and other data across the two services allows maximizing available storage space.
The Google Drive app, Apple Files app, and Google’s suite of productivity apps make accessing Drive convenient on iPhone. Third-party file manager apps provide even more powerful Drive management and offline access capabilities.
With some adjustments to your iCloud and Google Drive usage, you can utilize the benefits of both platforms and get the most out of your iPhone cloud storage.