How to Sync iPhone Contacts with Google or Gmail
If you want to keep your iPhone contacts synchronized with your Google or Gmail account, you've come to the right place. In this article, we will guide you through the process of syncing your iPhone contacts with Google or Gmail, ensuring that any changes made on one device are immediately reflected on the other.
Syncing iPhone Contacts with Google
To sync your iPhone contacts with your Google account, follow these three major steps:
Step 1: Move Existing iPhone Contacts to Google
There are two methods to transfer your existing iPhone or iCloud contacts to Google:
Method 1: Backup iPhone Contacts Using Google Drive App
- Install the Google Drive app on your iPhone.
- Launch the app and log in to the Google account where you want to sync iPhone contacts.
- Tap on the three-bar icon at the top and go to Settings.
- Tap on Backup.
- Enable the Contacts toggle under Back up to Google Contacts.
- Scroll down and tap on Start Backup.
- Once the backup process is complete, open contacts.google.com in a browser. You will see your iPhone contacts in your Google account.
Method 2: Export Contacts from iCloud
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap on your name at the top and go to iCloud.
- Make sure the toggle next to Contacts is turned on.
- Open icloud.com on your computer and log in with your Apple ID.
- Click on Contacts.
- Click on the Settings icon at the bottom-left corner and choose Select all from the menu.
- With all the iCloud contacts selected, tap on the Settings icon again and choose Export vCard from the menu.
- Save the .vcf file on your computer.
- Open contacts.google.com in a browser on your computer and log in to your Google account.
- Click on Import from the left sidebar and select the .vcf file to add your iPhone contacts to Google Contacts.
Step 2: Sync Existing Google Contacts to iPhone
Now that your existing iPhone contacts have been moved to Google, you can easily keep them in sync with your Google account. Follow these steps:
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Go to Contacts, then Accounts.
- Tap on Gmail and enable the toggle for Contacts on the next screen.
If you don't see the Gmail option, tap on Add account, then Google. Log in with your Google account credentials, and repeat step 3.
Enabling the Contacts toggle for your Gmail account will sync existing Google Contacts (including those added from your iPhone) to your iPhone. However, it won't sync newly added contacts from your iPhone to Google. To achieve that, you must change the default storage location as shown in the next step.
Step 3: Change Default Storage Location for iPhone Contacts
By default, any new contact you save on your iPhone will be added to your iCloud account. To keep your contacts in sync with Google, you need to store new contacts in Google Contacts. Here's how:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Go to Contacts > Default account.
- Choose Gmail.
That's it! Now any new contact you add to your iPhone will also be saved to Google Contacts.
Congratulations! Your iPhone contacts are now fully synchronized with your Google or Gmail account. Any changes you make to a contact in either account will be reflected on both devices. If you encounter any issues, such as missing contacts, you can refer to our guide on how to fix contacts not showing up on iPhone. And if you frequently use certain contacts, learn how to add them to the home screen on your iPhone for quick access.
Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”