What is iCloud | How to Set up iCloud and Recover Data from iCloud Backup?

How to Set up iCloud and Recover Data from iCloud Backup?

If you want to set up iCloud and restore your data from iCloud Backup, you will need to create an iCloud account which is based on Apple ID. 

Some iCloud features are only available in later versions, so update the operating system on your device. Your next step depends on the device you're using.

How to Set up iCloud and Recover Data from iCloud Backup?

What is iCloud? How to Set up iCloud and Recover Data from iCloud Backup?

At the basic level, the cloud is more like the Internet, or more precisely, part of the Internet.

The Internet represents the sky, which in turn is made up of all those different clouds, each of which can provide a service; the Gmail cloud, for example, provides us with email, the Dropbox cloud acts as a storage for our files, and so on!

Based on the above explanation, it is very important to know what the iCloud is.

What is iCloud?

iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service launched by Apple Inc, on October 12, 2011. 

iCloud offers a service to save files of all kinds on giant servers, and the user can access them from anywhere using their own account (Apple Id).

iCloud is the generic name for all of Apple's online services to us, whether on a Mac, iPhone, or even a Windows computer. ICloud is already available to users of Microsoft systems.

You can find all your iCloud content on any of your Apple devices using the same Apple ID.

You'll be able to re-download apps and games, watch TV shows, movies, and more.

Here's everything you need to know about iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Let's choose a few highlights to illustrate what iCloud is, comprehensively and more broadly:

⇒Contacts: If you allow, iCloud will sync contacts across iOS and macOS devices. This means you need to keep only one list of contacts, since any changes you make to your iPhone will apply to contacts on your Mac and other devices.

⇒Calendars: Similarly, iCloud (if allowed) syncs events across all your devices.

⇒iCloud Drive: A simple way to store files in the cloud, similar to other cloud storage services.

⇒Notes: You can choose to save notes locally, but syncing them across devices is very convenient, just type them into Notes on your Mac, then take your iPhone anywhere and you'll find it fast.

⇒iWork: You can use Pages, Numbers, and Keynote as web applications, using iCloud.

⇒iCloud also allows you to easily save TextEdit documents to the cloud and access them from other devices.

How to set up iCloud?

Your iCloud account is based on your Apple ID, so if you haven't already got an Apple ID, you'll need to create one, and you may also need to update the operating system on your device (some iCloud features are only available in later versions), your next step depends on the device you're using.

Set up iCloud on iPad or iPhone: Through the setup process for your iPad or iPhone, iOS will ask if you want to use iCloud, if you didn't activate it during setup; you can go to Settings later, click your name at the top (or click to sign in) Select iCloud and enter your Apple ID and password.

Set up iCloud on your Mac: Open System Preferences, click iCloud, then sign in with your Apple ID and select the services you want to use.

Set up iCloud Apple TV (4th generation or 4K): If you didn't choose to activate iCloud (by entering your Apple ID) when you first set up, go to Settings> Accounts> iCloud, then select Sign in.

Set up iCloud Windows computer: Download and install iCloud for Windows, open it and sign in with your Apple ID, then check the iCloud services you want to use.

How to use iCloud?

iCloud runs quietly in the background often; if you allow it to do something (the default setting in many cases), you'll simply find that the documents you created on one device,  are available on the other, calendar events and contact details are synchronized seamlessly and so on.

If you want to test iCloud capabilities on an app, make sure it is activated.

On iOS: Open Settings and tap your Apple ID at the top of the screen; you'll see all apps and services that can use iCloud, tap the app you've chosen so that the slider turns green.

On a Mac: Open System Preferences, click iCloud, and place tags instead of clicking the sliders.

Recover Data from iCloud Backup

Backup and Restore the Data using iCloud

Let's start with the basic functionality of the service that everyone should use.

Apple provides 5GB of free iCloud storage for each Apple ID, the account you use to sign in to the App Store and purchase apps.

This storage can be used for many purposes including image storage, but its best use is probably “Backup”.

By default, or automatic, every time you connect your iPad to a wall outlet, or a computer to charge it, this device will try to back up to iCloud.

You can also start the backup manually, by opening the Settings app and going to iCloud, Backup, and then back up now.

You can restore from a backup if you reset your device to its factory default settings, just choose to restore from backup during device setup.

If you upgrade to a newer device, you can also choose to restore from a backup, making the upgrade process smoother.

Find My Device

The most important feature of iCloud is Find My iPhone / iPad / MacBook. Not only can you use this feature to track where your iPhone or iPad is located.

 You can use it to lock your device in case it is lost or even reset to factory defaults, and you can also erase all the data available on it so that no one can misuse it.

iCloud Drive

 iCloud Drive is a service that allows apps to store documents online and allows access to those files from multiple devices, whether to open, play, or edit them.

Apple's cloud storage solution is not as smooth as Dropbox, but it is well connected with iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

You can also access iCloud Drive from Windows, so you're not restricted in the Apple system.

iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream

Although Apple has worked hard for many years to provide solutions for cloud-based image service,  it ended up with some chaos.

My Photo Stream is a service that uploads every photo taken to the cloud and downloads it to every other device registered in the same service.

This can lead to embarrassing situations, especially if you don't want all of your photos uploaded online.

For example, if you take a picture of a product in a store so you can remember the brand name or model number, this image will find its way to every other device.

However, the feature can be a genius solution for those who want to transfer photos taken on the iPhone to the iPad without doing anything.

Unfortunately, photos in My Photo Stream disappear after a while, with a maximum of 1,000 photos.

iCloud Photo Library is the new version of Photo Stream. The big difference is that they actually upload photos to iCloud permanently, and you also don't have to worry about the maximum number of photos.

You also have the ability to download the image at full resolution and size to your device, or as an enhanced version that doesn't take up much storage space.

Unfortunately, iCloud photo library is not part of iCloud Drive. Apple has decided to keep images separate, and today, even though Apple has always announced how easy it is to access images, even on a Mac or Windows computer, the actual use of the service shows some weakness.

However, as a service, the iCloud photo library is still very useful even if Apple has not yet installed the cloud-based image idea.

Contacts, calendars, reminders, notes…

Many of the core apps that come with Apple devices can use iCloud to sync between devices.

So if you want to access notes from your iPad and iPhone, you can simply turn on Notes in the iCloud section of your device's settings.

Similarly, if you turn on reminders, you can use Siri to set a reminder on your iPhone, and the reminder will also appear on your iPad.

iTunes Match and Apple Music

Apple Music, Apple's response to Spotify, a subscription-based music streaming service.

Music can be downloaded from Apple Music to hear if there is no Internet connection, and placed in user-specific playlists.

iTunes Match is a kind of awesome service and, oddly enough, it's not the focus of many users these days. 

iTunes Match lets you play your music library from the cloud, meaning you don't need to put a copy of each song on your iPad to listen.

So, how is it different from Apple Music; in fact, you'll first need to actually own the song to use it with iTunes Match, however, iTunes Match will work with any song, even those that aren't available via Apple Music.

iTunes Match will also offer the best version of the song, so if the song is adjusted to a higher sound resolution, you'll hear the best version.

In this way, iTunes Match compares the content you have purchased or paid for, and the content you already own and then sets up your cloud music library for you to include all of the user's music, whether available through Apple Music or others.

iCloud Keychain

With iCloud Keychain, Apple is trying to make some sense of password management.

If you save a password in Safari on your Mac for later use, iCloud Keychain can sync the same input with Safari on your iPhone or iPad.

iCloud Keychain can also store credit card details, addresses, and other personal details to enable you to easily fill out forms when you need them.

Moreover, if you need to create a strong password for a new account, you can hire iCloud Keychain.

Summary

⇒iCloud is a cloud storage and cloud computing service.

⇒An iCloud account is based on  Apple ID.
⇒If you want to test the iCloud capabilities on an app, make sure it is activated.
⇒You can restore your data from an iCloud backup.
⇒The most important features of iCloud include:

⇸iCloud Drive.
⇸iCloud Photo Library.
⇸Contacts, calendars, reminders, notes...
⇸Apple Music.
⇸iTunes Match.
⇸iCloud Keychain.

⇸Find My Device.