How to Migrate from Google Reader to Feedly
Published in ToolsIf you’re a user of Google Reader you probably know by now that Google has decided to shut down the service as of July 1, 2013. Many people, myself included, use Google Reader on a daily basis and have found it to be the best RSS reader available. The good news is that other viable options have started to get more exposure in the past week since Google made the announcement as people look for alternatives. Feedly is an excellent alternative, and you may even find it to be better than Google Reader. The best part is that Feedly has capitalized on the opportunity by making it super easy to import all of your feeds from Google Reader, so you can continue to follow your favorite websites and blogs without interruption. In this post we’ll look at this process.
If you have been using Google Reader to subscribe to the Vandelay Design Blog please migrate to another service or subscribe by email so that you don’t miss out on future blog content.
Feedly is available as a Chrome or Firefox extension, or iOS and Android apps (all options are free). The steps below will show how to install Feedly in Chrome and migrate your feeds from Google Reader.
Step 1: Install Feedly
Visit Feedly.com and click on the button to get Feedly for Chrome. Then click on the “Add to Chrome” button.
Step 2: Connect to Google Reader
Then click on the “Connect to Google Reader” button to import your feeds. You’ll need to be logged in to your Google account.
Step 3: Allow Access
Next, you’ll see a message from Google asking if you want to give access to Feedly. Click “allow access” and Feedly will quickly and automatically import your feed subscriptions. It will even import the items that you have starred/saved.
Step 4: Start Using Feedly
After you’ve imported your feeds you can start using Feedly just like you used Google Reader. Thankfully, Feedly has made it a very easy and painless process.
25 Responses
I had heard Google was suspending their reader. Thanks for this post. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I switched it over and it works great.
Feedly seems like scam. They require an extension to access feedly.com. That extension allows them to spy on all your browser behavior. They claim they won’t spy on you and yet if that’s true then they don’t need the extension. Those 2 issues are in conflict which suggests they are not trustworthy
Thanks for this post. Feedly is a very interesting alternative app for Google Reader. I use it for few weeks, and I can say – it works
After configuration my Feedly is like a GR.
James,
If you don’t feel comfortable with Feedly there are several other options that might be a better fit for you. If you do a search for Google Reader alternatives you’ll find a bunch.
I’ve been using feedly for two years now. The app works great.
@James Westin Like google doesn’t spy on your browsing habits? ::winks:: Have you ever noticed google ads catering to your web browsing taste? Just some food for thought.
I use GR daily for work. Although I don’t need to set up folders, etc, for feeds. I just have a listing of all the feeds in the left column since all feeds are health related. Is there a way for feedly to be set up this way too? I haven’t been able to duplicate GR into feedly.
Feed name –> Text/article description
Feed name –> Text/article description
Feed name –> Text/article description
Feed name –> Text/article description
etc, etc.
I like Feedly and use it all the time on my iPad but as far as I know you have to have the link to Google Reader there constantly. So if you change your Google password you’ll notice Feedly doesn’t work. So what will happen when Google Reader shuts down? I’m guessing your Feedly feeds will disappear too? In fact I’m sure they will.
Also, Feedly doesn’t have it’s own login system so how will your feeds be sync’d across devices?
Feedly is a great app!
@James Westin: Feedly needs to be able to access the URL you are currently on, as you might need to add it to feedly. An extension will never have enough code in it to register that much data. If it was constantly tracking you, many things would warn you (like your antivirus). And also please have faith in all the tech save of us out there digging into these apps to see what they actually do. Some googling should calm your nerves
Doesn’t this just frontend to Google reader? ie when google reader is gone on July 1, how do you plan to do the “Connect to Google Reader” step?
This is not migrating to feedly, this is using feedly to view your google reader feed only.
At the moment, yes, Feedly is displaying feeds through Google Reader. However, that will be changing between now and when Google Reader shuts down. Here is a quote from Feedly:
“Google announced today that they will be shutting down Google Reader. This is something we have been expecting for some time: We have been working on a project called Normandy which is a feedly clone of the Google Reader API – running on Google App Engine. When Google Reader shuts down, feedly will seamlessly transition to the Normandy back end. So if you are a Google Reader user and using feedly, you are covered: the transition will be seamless.”
Source: http://blog.feedly.com/2013/03/14/google-reader/
Please help! I just switched to Feedly and keep getting stuck at Step 3. I can’t get past the welcome screen. Aargh! Please tell me what I’m missing.
Hi Shané,
I’d recommend contacting Feedly support. Are you sure that you are logged in to your Google account? I would also recommend trying it in a different browser (Firefox or Chrome).
Is there a way to migrate all starred items rather than last 30 days or whatever the lame setting is…
My starred items go back to May 2012 and under “Saved for Later” the oldest item is 31 days.
Hi Bryan,
I don’t know those details, you would have to check with Feedly.
Sad to see Google Reader is going but it seems like the craze of subscribing to blog feeds is pretty much over.
Thanks for sharing feedly app. This application is a good alternate to Google Reader. These apps have made everything easy with technology advancements.
What’s bizarre to me is that Google had a ‘Note’ functionality built into Reader at one point….took it out….is now subsequently closing Reader…but has developed ‘Google Keep’……..
I always believed that Reader could have been integrated as part of the old ‘Google+ Streams’ or now their topic searching or communities, and the Notes could be separately integrated into Google+. I just don’t get the logic.
I will definitely be using feedly so I can at least import all my Google reader feeds, I am still very suprised that Google shut down Google reader. Did they explain why they shut it down?
I followed your instructions and “migrated” {?} to feedly. I have a couple more questions. Do I now delete my Google Reader account? Or just leave it be and it’ll go away in July?
Also, since my reader is now successfully merged, do I need to change anything in my blog settings? Can you tell I’m an expert at this?
Hi Rena,
No, you don’t need to close your Google Reader account. It will automatically shut down in July. I’m not sure I understand your question about blog settings. You’re talking about change settings with your blog control panel? If so, no, you don’t need to change anything.
Yes. I moved, migrated, merged {whatever?}, my Google Reader to Feedly as you instructed. However, for others to link up to MY blog, don’t I need to change that function on my blog? Does that change automatically too with my merge?
I’m worried about logging in with my google account. There’s a lot of personal information that I have in my google docs. Am I being unjustly cautious? Also, can I log in to feedly with my current google login, get my RSS feeds transferred on Feedly, and then change my login to Google so Feedly doesn’t have my current google login?
mistermonkstrap,
I think for now Feedly would still need access to your Google account on an on-going basis. That will change when by July when Google Reader shuts down. I could be wrong though, so you may want to check with Feedly.