iCloud EXPLAINED! Everything You Need To Know, by MacVince on YouTube. 11 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name at the top. If you are not signed in, tap Sign in to iPhone and enter your Apple Account email and password.
Tap iCloud, then Manage Account Storage to see what is already using your space. Photos and backups usually take the most room.
Go back and tap Photos, then turn on Sync this iPhone. Your photo library will upload to iCloud whenever the phone is on Wi-Fi and charging.
Open the Files app and check that iCloud Drive is turned on under Browse. Files you save there are stored in the cloud and appear on your other Apple devices.
Return to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup. Turn on Back up this iPhone.
Tap Back Up Now and keep the phone connected to Wi-Fi until the backup finishes. The date of the last backup shows under the button.
On a computer, go to icloud.com and sign in with your Apple Account to view photos, files and notes from any browser.
If you run out of space, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then Manage Account Storage, and choose a larger iCloud+ plan or delete large items.
Tips and common mistakes
ICloud Photos and iCloud Backup are separate: photos sync continuously, while the backup runs about once a day when the phone is locked, charging and on Wi-Fi.
Turning off Sync this iPhone can remove photos from the device, so download any you want to keep first.
A backup does not include data already stored in iCloud, such as synced photos, so keep an eye on your total storage.
Check the last backup date now and then to make sure it is recent.
Questions
Do I need to pay for iCloud to back up my phone?
The free plan gives you 5 GB, which is often not enough for photos and backups. You can delete large items or move to a paid iCloud+ plan for more space.
What is the difference between iCloud Photos and iCloud Backup?
ICloud Photos keeps your photo library synced across devices. iCloud Backup copies the rest of your phone settings and data so you can restore a new iPhone.
Can I see my iCloud files on a Windows PC?
Yes. Sign in at icloud.com in a browser, or install iCloud for Windows to sync Drive and Photos to your PC.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
