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Google is making switching from Safari to Chrome on iOS easier than ever

If you want to escape Apple’s browser and run to Google, you may soon be able to do it on your iPhone.

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By Ilia Temelkov

Published: Jan 19, 2026, 5:04 PM

Google is making switching from Safari to Chrome on iOS easier than ever

Switching browsers can be a painful process, especially on mobile. Moving away from Safari on iOS is particularly complicated as Apple’s data protection doesn’t allow other apps the access they’d need for an easy transfer. However, Google may have found an elegant solution to that problem.

Google is working on a guided Safari import tool for iOS

Google is building an iOS feature that will allow Safari users to switch to Chrome directly on their iPhone, without a desktop computer. The guided “Safari import” tool was spotted by The MacObserver and relies on the Export Browsing Data functionality of iOS.

To use the tool, users need to first generate a ZIP file with their Safari data. Google Chrome explains the exact steps you need to take:

Open Safari’s app settings
Tap Export Browsing Data
Choose the data you want to export
Save the ZIP file to Downloads

Afterward, Google offers a step-by-step import flow, allowing users choose what data they want to bring over. Among the options are passwords, bookmarks, browsing history, and credit cards, which are then saved to the user's Google Account.

It’s probably launching soon

The process to switch from Safari to Chrome on iOS. | Images credit — The MacObserver

One nifty detail that suggests the feature is likely launching soon is that once the import is completed, Chrome sends a warning that the exported Safari file contains private information and gives a quick option to delete it. The feature is part of the latest Chrome beta for iOS, so it may be included in the next public version of the browser.

That would be a welcome change, as switching from Safari on mobile is still quite complicated. You either need to start from zero on your new browser or resort to using a computer.

Make your choice

Choosing a browser is sometimes a difficult process, but I wouldn’t switch from Safari on my iPhone. Apple’s closed ecosystem makes it much less meaningful than on a desktop, but I also genuinely like mobile Safari.

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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.

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