iCloud Contacts and Google Contacts: Where Should You Save Contacts on Your iPhone?

When using an Android phone, you prefer to use Google Contacts to store and manage contacts. But when it comes to iPhone, users are confused between iCloud Contacts and Google Contacts. If you are also wondering where to save contacts on your iPhone – iCloud or Google? You will find the answer in this article.

You can choose one of the options when you start using your new iPhone. Of course, you can always switch to another service later on. But why would you want to take the risk and headache of merging or losing contacts?

We’ll help you figure out which one to choose between iCloud Contacts and Google Contacts. Lets start.

Required Cloud Account

Typically, when you save a contact to your iPhone, that contact is saved to your iPhone’s storage. You can now enable iCloud Contacts or use other services like Google Contacts to sync contacts.

iCloud Contacts is a service added to iCloud storage that uses the Apple ID. iCloud is automatically activated when you add an Apple ID to your iPhone. It is a default cloud service on Apple devices. Photos, notes, reminders, calendar, etc. You can enable/disable various services such as People are such a service. When iCloud Contacts is enabled, your iPhone contacts are synced to your iCloud account. You’ll be pleased to know that iCloud Contacts works without adding any additional accounts or apps to your iPhone.

On the contrary, Google Contacts is obviously a service of Google. To use Google Contacts, you need to sign in with your Google account on your iPhone.

availability

You can access iCloud contacts primarily from Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, and Mac). And on the web version of iCloud, which can also be accessed from a Windows PC.

You can use Google Contacts on iPhone, iPad, web and Android phones without any problems. Basically, you can access Google Contacts from other phone, computer or tablet by linking your Google account and without any workarounds.

Fly: Check out how to view Apple Notes on Android.

Sync Contacts

After you add the corresponding accounts for iCloud or Google to your iPhone, the existing contacts of each service are synchronized with those on your iPhone.

Any changes you make to communicate on iPhone or other devices are instantly reflected on other connected devices. Basically, the syncing process works the same for both iCloud and Google. You don’t have to worry on that front.

The only difference is that by default existing and all new iPhone contacts are synced to iCloud. As shown at the end of the post, you will need to manually change the default storage location for new contacts.

Special Application

Whether you save contacts to iCloud or Google, they can be accessed using the same app on iPhone, namely the Apple Contacts app. Google does not offer a dedicated contacts app for iPhone like Android does.

Edit Contacts

You may wonder what features you’ll get when contacts are registered with both services. Let’s start with the organization.

In both services, you can organize your contacts into categories. With iCloud Contacts you get Groups and you have Tags in Google Contacts.

Import/Export Contacts

Fortunately, both make it easy to add new contacts in bulk using the Import feature. Similarly, you can export all your contacts with Export. This feature is available in the web version of both services and cannot be used directly on iPhone.

Find and Merge Contacts

Over time, you save copies of various contacts. Instead of manually finding duplicate contacts, you would prefer a feature that automatically finds duplicate contacts.

Fortunately, one of the interesting features of Google Contacts is to search for duplicate contacts and merge them. You can do this using the web version of Google Contact (on both mobile and PC) and via the Google Contacts app on Android phones.

On the other hand, only Mac supports finding duplicate contacts in iCloud (Go to Card > Search for Duplicates in Contacts app). Otherwise, you’ll have to find them manually or seek help from third-party apps like Cleaner.

Restore Deleted Contacts

In case you accidentally delete a contact from any service you intend to use, you can restore it on either service.

To restore Apple contacts, you will need to use the Account settings section on iCloud web. We have prepared a detailed guide on how to restore deleted contacts from Google Contacts.

Where to Save Contacts on iPhone

The answer depends on your needs and preferences. So, if you only use Apple devices, you should stay with iCloud Contacts. You should also move your existing Gmail contacts to iCloud. If you decide to switch to Android or Google Contacts in the future, you can always do so.

But if you have an Android phone or keep switching between Android and iPhone regularly, Google Contacts is a better choice. Also, if you use a lot of Google services, you should prefer Google Contacts.

However, there is no hard and fast rule. You may not use one, both, or neither of the Services. Whether you use Google Contacts or iCloud Contacts, your user experience will be the same. When both services are enabled, existing contacts from both services are synced to your iPhone. However, you will need to decide where you want to save new contacts as shown below.

Tip: Change Default Contacts Account on iPhone

For this, open Settings on your iPhone and go to Contacts. Tap on Default account. Choose Gmail or iCloud. iOS will use the selected account to save new contacts. Nothing will happen to existing people.

Right choice

If you decide to stay with iCloud Contacts, you don’t need to migrate your existing iPhone contacts. They will automatically sync with iCloud. But if you want to use Google Contacts, change the default storage location for new contacts as shown above. Then move your existing iCloud Contacts to Google Contacts. You can use both services to keep contacts synced between iPhone and iPhone as well.

Next: If you want to use Google services instead of Apple, you may want to sign out of your Apple ID. Find out what happens when you sign out of your Apple ID on your iPhone or iPad at the next article link.