iCloud is Apple’s cloud-based storage service that allows users to back up and sync calendars, emails, photos, contacts, and files. The features of iCloud can be accessed from an iPad, iPhone, or Mac through System Preferences. You can also access it on your Windows computer.
How to Set up iCloud?
- iPad or iPhone
Head to Settings > tap your name and then iCloud > enter your Apple ID and password > switch on the features you wish to use.
- Mac
Go to the Apple menu > click System Preferences > click Apple ID > choose iCloud > enter your Apple ID and password > turn on the features you wish to use.
While iCloud works smoothly on Macs, some users have encountered an error connecting to iCloud. If you face the same problem, restart your Mac or change your Apple ID and password to resolve it. You can also sign out of iCloud and log in to check if the issue is solved.
Ways to Use iCloud
- Store videos and photos
iCloud Photo Library uploads all the videos and photos to the cloud so users can access them on any device. Then, you can free up space on your phone by storing low-resolution, optimized versions of the pictures locally. You can leave high-resolution images on the cloud.
When you want to view the photos, iCloud will download the better-quality versions. However, the experience might not be as great as expected if you don’t have a robust Internet connection. As a result, you may have to wait a long time to view your videos or photos.
You can enable iCloud Photo Library by going to Settings > tapping your name > iCloud > Photos. Then, toggle iCloud Photos on and choose either to retain the originals on your device or optimize storage.
With your photos and videos uploaded to iCloud, you can access them from any iPad or iPhone via the Photos application. If you cannot see them, switch on iCloud Photos.
On Macs, the media appears in the Photos application, and on Windows, users can download iCloud for Windows to view the media on the desktop.
- Backup your devices
With enough iCloud storage, users can back up all their supported devices, such as iPad Pro, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple Watch. Although you cannot back up your entire Mac on iCloud, you can easily store your Desktop and Document folders there.
After upgrading your storage plan, grab your iPad or iPhone and go to Settings > tap your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup to enable the service. You can follow these steps for all your supported devices. Then, iCloud will perform a backup whenever the device is plugged in and is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network.
iCloud will back up all the critical information, such as settings, app data, Apple Watch, home screens, ringtones, message history, personal media, and purchase history.
If you have iCloud Photo Library enabled, your videos and photos are already backed up.
If you want to restore your files and photos from a backup, you must reset and erase your device by going to Settings > General > Reset. Then, tap Restore from iCloud Backup when the device restarts, and you must wait for the restoration to complete. Connecting your device to a stable Wi-Fi network is vital so that the process finishes quickly.
It is also possible to back up your iPad and iPhone locally using iTunes. These backups are ideal for transferring the contents of one device to another, such as when you replace your phone with an upgraded model.
- Free space on your Mac
Is your Mac getting low on space? You can automatically manage your files through iCloud. You can allow your system to breathe by offloading some local files to the cloud. Then, you can download them whenever you want.
You can do this by clicking the Apple logo > selecting About This Mac > clicking the Storage tab, and clicking Manage. Then, choose Store in iCloud, and this will free space by storing files in your Documents and Desktop folders on the cloud instead.
Although the files will appear to remain in place, they will have a Download icon. This will indicate the files are stored remotely. When users try to open a file stored on iCloud, their Mac will automatically download the files. However, enabling this feature is a double-edged sword because you won’t be able to micromanage the available space. All the files you view locally will be downloaded and stored on your device.
The Bottom Line
Besides these, you can share your iCloud space with your family, or you can use it to sync Mail, Calendar, Photos, and Contacts so you can access them across all your Apple devices. Furthermore, enabling the Find My feature will allow you to locate your device if you misplace it.