Using iCloud to keep all your Apple devices in sync

iCloud has many features that can help you keep the important things in your life in sync while using an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC. Some of those features are designed to sync your contacts, calendar, notes, reminders, photos and to track a lost iPhone or iPad. When you look at all of the features that iCloud offers none is arguably more important than it’s best feature, backups. iCloud gives you the opportunity to back up your iPhone and iPad wirelessly, ensuring that you don’t loose the important things on your device incase you loose it or break it. It is also an amazing feature if you upgrade from your old iPhone to a new iPhone, as you can just enter your iCloud Apple ID and all of your stuff is re-downloaded to your new device. So what does iCloud backup?

iCloud backs up your:

1. Purchased music, movies, TV shows, apps, and books
2. Photos and video in the Camera Roll
3. Device settings
4. App data
5. Home screen and app organization
6. Messages (iMessage, SMS, and MMS)
7. Ringtones

How do you know if your iPhone or iPad is set up to back up to iCloud?

First you have to go to “Settings” on your device and select iCloud from the list.

If you don’t have an iCloud account it will ask you to create one. You can use your existing Apple ID (the one you use for iTunes and the App Store) and enter it to get started. An important note here is that if you share an Apple ID with anyone else in your household for buying through iTunes and the App Store, do NOT use the same Apple ID to set up your iCloud, as it will merge all of you contacts and calendars together with anyone else using that same Apple ID. If multiple people use an Apple ID for purchases you should set up your own new Apple ID first and then use it to set up your iCloud. 

Once you have an iCloud account set up or if you already have one, look at the bottom of the list in your iCloud settings and touch “Storage & Backup”. 

Move the iCloud backup slider to the ON position. You can always see right below this area when your last back up was. 

iCloud will back up your iPhone or iPad automatically when you plug your device into the wall to charge it, and your WiFi is turned on with a connection.  

This backup is essential for all iPhone and iPad users as it gives you the security of knowing that your devices are backed up and lets you always have a current restoration point should something go wrong. iCloud can be a simple thing to implement but can have some confusing aspects to it. If you would like to learn more about iCloud and all of its great features and benefits MacInspires offers a class dedicated just to iCloud and iPurchases to help you get familiar with the system and make sure that it is set up correctly. 

To book a class please call us at (203) 531-5720, or feel free to look at our full class catalog at MacInspires.com. 

MacInspires is located at 53 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich.