Before I start this article, you'd be surprised at how many new iOS, tvOS, and Mac users have no idea what iCloud is, or how to even use it with their device(s). Hopefully, this article will let them know what iCloud is, and how to use it.
What IS iCloud?
When you get a new Mac, iOS, or tvOS device, it comes with an Apple service called iCloud. iCloud enables any Apple-related user to share, sync, backup, almost any information (including pictures and videos) to secondary storage that can be accessed as long as the device has internet access. When a person first sets up their device, they will be asked to either sign up or sign in to iCloud.
Does it cost money?
All iOS, tvOS, and Mac devices come with up to 5GB of free storage. After that, the price depends on how much storage you'd like to have. For more and current information about pricing, click here.
How do I sign in on a device?
After you sign up for an account, the first thing to do is to sign in that account. If you wish to share items such as photos, music, and more on each device, those device(s) must be signed into the same account (there is a way to share other information with other iCloud accounts, but it is beyond the scope of this article. Yes, I will cover that in the future).
How to sign-in to iCloud:
- Go to SETTINGS > Tap on YOUR NAME > tap SIGN IN & SECURITY and sign in with the username and password you used to sign-up with.
- After that, you're now on iCloud.
This is where you can view all of the information that's currently in your iCloud account. Take the time and get to know what's here (and NOT here) so you can refer to it quickly when necessary.
Now that you've started using iCloud, go to https://www.apple.com/support and type in iCould Information to learn even more about this valuable service.
