The Beginner’s Guide to iCloud

Besides the exquisite design and high build quality, a key reason for choosing Apple products is their tight integration, not just within hardware and software, but also across devices. You can start a task on your Mac and seamlessly continue on your iPad, or buy an app on your iPhone and access it across your other iOS devices.

Central to this seamless integration among Apple devices is iCloud. While essential for maximizing user experience within the Apple ecosystem, many users don’t fully grasp iCloud’s potential beyond device activation.

What perks does your iCloud account offer? Let’s embark on our journey to find out.

Introduction

Understanding iCloud

iCloud, fundamentally, is a cloud storage and computing service. Launched in October 2011, it replaced Apple’s previous online service, MobileMe.

With an iCloud account, you receive an @icloud.com email address and 5 GB of free storage. This storage accommodates documents, photos, and music; making them accessible across devices linked to the same account or shareable with others. Additionally, iCloud enables wireless backup of iOS devices and syncs supported app data.

The account enables users to manage and track their devices if lost or stolen. Countless stories online recount how iCloud aided in device recovery.

Obtaining an Apple ID and Setting Up iCloud

Obtaining an Apple ID

Prior to utilizing iCloud, acquiring an Apple ID is essential. Typically, you’ll receive one during initial device setup. Obtain an Apple ID via:

– any iOS device: Settings->iTunes & App Store->Create New Apple ID

– a Mac: System Preferences->Internet Accounts->iCloud->Create Apple ID

– or directly from the Apple ID website.

Once done, set up your iCloud account with these steps:

Note: Before starting, ensure your Apple devices run the latest OS version.

Mac

To enable iCloud on a Mac, navigate to System Preferences->iCloud. Enter your Apple ID and choose desired iCloud services.

In the iCloud window, manage storage, select apps for iCloud Drive backup, and control iCloud Photo Library, My Photo Stream, and iCloud Photo Sharing. Use Manage Family to add or remove family members for purchases using your Apple ID, and manage payment info.

iPhone and iPad

When setting up iOS devices or after upgrading, you’ll be prompted to enable iCloud. If you skip initially, you can do so later in Settings->iCloud using your Apple ID.

To automatically download acquired music, apps, books, and updates from other Apple devices, go to Settings->iTunes & App Stores and toggle the respective items.

Windows Users

The popularity of iPhone and iPad draws many into the Apple ecosystem, but not all iOS users also use Mac. While managing iCloud accounts is native to Mac, Windows users need Apple’s dedicated application.

To begin, download and install the iCloud app for Windows. Then, sign in with your Apple ID. Once logged in, manage your iCloud account as you would on a Mac.

Apple TV Setup

Setting up iCloud on Apple TV is simple. Just start up your Apple TV, enter your Apple ID, and the machine will handle the rest. From there, access iCloud Photo Sharing, My Photo Stream, iTunes Match, and all your purchased movies and TV shows.

iCloud Features

Since its inception, iCloud has evolved into a suite of utilities. Here are the features and services available:

iCloud Drive

iCloud Drive is Apple’s cloud storage service. While not the most generous option in terms of storage size, its seamless integration with other Apple services makes it valuable.

You can store various digital items on iCloud Drive, including text documents, presentations, videos, and application data, accessible across all devices linked to the same Apple ID. This enables you to work on a document saved on your Mac using your iPad. Some developers have incorporated iCloud’s inter-connectivity feature into their apps to sync data across different Apple devices.

There’s a dedicated iCloud Drive app for iOS, but to access your iCloud Drive data from other devices, you can use iCloud web. To save a file to iCloud Drive, drag it to the iCloud Drive folder or use the File->Save menu.

iCloud Photo

iPhones are consistently nominated by Flickr as the most popular devices for photos. Integrating photo storage and editing services into iCloud seems logical. That’s why Apple merged its iPhoto app into iCloud to create iCloud Photo. The goal is to provide users with a hassle-free way to backup and organize memories, do light editing if needed, and easily access them from any device.

Aside from the Library, iCloud Photo encompasses the Sharing feature. Through iCloud Photo Sharing, users can share photos and videos with friends and family, create shared albums, enabling invited members to add their content. Additionally, users can stream their library to supported devices like Apple TV and print the collection in a stunning Photo Book.

Photos and Videos are organized by dates under the Moments tab. You can zoom-in to view items by dates or zoom-out to quickly browse through months or years. As an alternative, there’s the Albums tab, categorizing entries by types like All Photos, Selfies, Videos, Burst, Screenshots, and others. Additionally, you can create new albums for different categories. Some apps create specific albums for particular images such as bills, receipts, saved photos from social media, and photo editing results.

As most of us take numerous photos with our mobile devices, using online photo storage offers the advantage of not storing those pictures on the device, thus freeing up device storage. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with the limited 5 GB free iCloud storage. Without opting for a larger paid storage plan, the 5 GB free storage will fill up quickly with your photos.

Find iPhone

In my view, this feature might be the coolest among other iCloud features, despite its slightly misleading name. Enabling the Find iPhone feature allows you to track the whereabouts of one or more of your devices – not just iPhones but also Macs and iPads – using another device or via the web interface. You can use this feature to locate your misplaced device around the house or to recover stolen devices.

Prior to utilizing the feature, enable Find My iPhone and Location Sharing in Settings->iCloud. Subsequently, access the Find My iPhone app on your iOS device or utilize the iCloud web app on Mac or PC to view the location of your other devices.

In addition to viewing the device’s position on the map, you can activate Play Sound remotely to aid in locating it swiftly, engage Lost Mode to lock the device and display a message, or opt to Erase the device entirely as a last resort.

Stories of how the Find iPhone feature aided iDevice owners in locating their lost gadgets abound online and are consistently captivating. Instances include a mother assisting police in rescuing her kidnapped daughter and a rescue team finding a car crash victim by tracking their iPad.

Similar functionalities exist in other operating systems, with more likely to emerge in the future. Yet, none have garnered the attention and impact of Find iPhone.

Family Sharing

The tightly integrated Apple ecosystem may deter users who prefer a more “open” system. However, once individuals experience an ecosystem where services seamlessly interact, they often seek to involve their entire family in the system.

Family Sharing allows you to easily add up to 6 family members under one account. They can share purchases from iTunes, iBooks, and the App Store without sharing accounts. Additionally, the family can use one credit card for purchases, with parents remotely approving or denying children’s purchases. All members can share photos, a family calendar, and more.

To set up a Family Sharing account, one person (usually a parent) should create the account from their device by navigating to Settings->iCloud->Family and adding family members. Parents can add children under 13 by creating Apple IDs for them. Adding a child automatically activates the Ask to Buy feature, allowing parents to control the content accessible on their children’s devices.

Additional Features and Upgrade Options

Besides those mentioned, iCloud offers features like Notes, Calendar, Contacts, and Reminders synchronization, @icloud.com webmail account, and Safari and Keychain integration, allowing you to create and access passwords across devices.

Additionally, there are separate upgrade options available to enhance your free iCloud account, including:

1. Storage Upgrade

You can choose 50 GB of storage for just US$ 0.99/mo. For those requiring more space, other plans are available: 200 GB for US$ 2.99/mo and 1 TB for US$ 9.99/mo. This extra storage applies to all files stored in iCloud Drive, including photos and videos.

2. iTunes Match

This service maintains your music collection in the cloud. For a yearly subscription of US$ 24.99, iTunes scans your library and matches your music with its iCloud catalog. Access, stream, and download your collection from any device in the highest quality. If iTunes lacks certain items, it uploads them to the cloud.

Currently, iTunes boasts one of the world’s largest music collections, exceeding 30 million songs. Odds are, your music is already there.

3. Apple Music

Music streaming services dominate the scene today. While Apple Music isn’t officially part of iCloud, Apple leverages its cloud storage and extensive music library to provide users with the Apple Music streaming service.

Apple Music allows you to enjoy any song from Apple’s iTunes library on any device. Additionally, it features curated genre-based radios and 24/7 live radio hosted by top industry names.

Apple Music offers a complimentary three-month trial, after which a subscription fee applies. Options include individual membership at US$ 9.99/mo, family membership at US$ 14.99/mo, or student membership, if eligible, at US$ 4.99/mo.

iCloud Online

Access iCloud through any browser. Recently, Apple opened iCloud to all users, allowing registration for those outside Apple’s ecosystem. However, non-Apple device owners can only use the online versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, with limited storage of 1 GB.

iCloud web hosts twelve apps accessible from the home page or via app-specific shortcuts. Let’s explore them individually.

Mail

Mail is the online client for your @icloud.com email address. While you can’t add accounts from another email service, you can include up to three email aliases for different purposes. Additionally, you can set a vacation auto-responder to reply to incoming messages while you’re away and create rules to organize your inbox. Access these features via Mail Settings at the bottom left of the screen.

Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, and Notes

These four services are essential personal organizer apps dating back to the days of PDA and beyond. It’s no surprise that Apple includes them in the iCloud suite. By integrating cloud-based apps, you’ll always have your valuable information at hand.

Aside from syncing your data across devices, you can edit, create, delete, import, and export data.

Photos, iCloud Drive, Find Friends, and Find iPhone

We’ve covered three of these four apps, so we won’t discuss them further. Regarding Find Friends, it’s akin to Find iPhone, but its aim differs slightly – locating devices not belonging to you. However, before you voice privacy concerns, note that the device owner must approve your tracking request in advance. Unlike Find iPhone, you and your friends can temporarily activate the Find Friends feature to monitor each other’s locations during group outings or other collective activities in unfamiliar places.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote

Formerly iWork, this suite of productivity apps rivals Microsoft Office in the Apple ecosystem. While Keynote competes directly with PowerPoint, Pages and Numbers haven’t achieved the same level of popularity as Word and Excel.

In terms of features, all three apps can compete with Microsoft Office, particularly in creating documents that are functional and visually appealing. While other suites have adopted pre-designed templates, Apple excels in design refinement.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are available to the general public, regardless of owning any Apple product. They are cloud-based and accessible on any device, akin to Google Docs but aesthetically superior. Edit existing documents by dragging and dropping them into the browser window. Own a Mac, iPhone, or iPad? Sync your documents across devices and the web interface.

Settings

Besides the web apps, there’s Settings where you can view storage status, activated devices, and family sharing members. Use Settings to restore Files, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Bookmarks. Manage apps that access your information and sign out of all browsers.

iCloud Alternatives

Except for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, iCloud doesn’t extend beyond the Apple ecosystem. This limitation poses a challenge for users who prefer cross-platform compatibility.

Thankfully, alternatives to iCloud abound. Let’s explore them.

Cloud Storage Options

Online storage has existed since the internet’s inception, but its popularity surged recently due to improved connectivity and affordable storage. Now, numerous services offer similar, if not superior, features to iCloud. Notably, Dropbox played a pivotal role in popularizing cloud storage.

Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage, expandable to 16 GB through referrals. Other options include Google Drive (15 GB), Box (10 GB), and OneDrive (5 GB). Explore additional cloud storage services.

Online Photo Storage

While any cloud storage can store photos and videos, not all offer dedicated photo viewing, editing, and management like iCloud Photo. While Dropbox provides photo support, many prefer Google Photos for its robust features.

Google’s AI powers this online photo service seamlessly. Simply install the app, log in with your Google account, and let it handle everything from uploading to curating. The standout feature, particularly appealing to those with extensive photo libraries, is the unlimited photo and video storage. Opting for the “High Quality” setting ensures uploaded images don’t eat into your Google Drive storage. For smartphone photographers like us, the high quality option suffices.

Convenient Photo Management

Notes, a simple note-taking app on iCloud, swiftly captures thoughts across devices. However, it lacks extra features. For a richer experience, explore alternatives.

SimpleNote stands out as a basic cross-platform option beyond Apple’s ecosystem.

For comprehensive note-taking, Evernote reigns supreme. Refer to our extensive coverage for tips, tools, and alternatives.

Office Applications

Pages and Numbers haven’t made a big splash outside the Apple environment, partly due to Microsoft Office’s dominance. However, MS Office hasn’t fully embraced the concept of office in the cloud yet. Therefore, the primary alternatives to iCloud’s Pages and Numbers are Google Docs and Google Spreadsheets, while Keynote remains unrivaled.

Calendars and To-Do Lists

Calendars and to-do lists offer a plethora of alternatives. Apart from numerous Mac or iOS-specific apps, iCloud’s Calendar and Reminders face competition from multi-platform alternatives. This excludes more complex project management tools like Trello.

Above the Cloud and Beyond

Considering future technological directions and competition from other software and hardware platforms, how can Apple strengthen iCloud’s market position?

Predicting the distant future is difficult, but based on current offerings, it’s evident Apple will leverage iCloud as a central hub for its devices and operating systems, integrating Siri to enhance services.

Apple has entered the wearable market with Apple Watch and introduced Health Kit to facilitate health care app development. Similarly, Home Kit targets the smart home sector. Rumors suggest Apple is exploring the self-driving car market.

Envision all your devices – on and off your body – interconnected. In the future, we anticipate seamless communication among home appliances, computers, mobile phones, garden sensors, self-driving cars, home monitors, smartwatches, personal assistants, door locks, and other devices. They will share vital health data with your doctors, compile grocery lists for your supermarkets, reserve tickets for local football matches, aid in research, send birthday wishes to friends, remotely lock and secure your house, and facilitate more futuristic functions. Now picture iCloud technology as the nucleus of these possibilities.

That, my friend, epitomizes iCloud’s potential. In the future, that’s where iCloud is headed. Your thoughts? Share in the comments below.