Transfer data between Apple devices with iCloud

In this article, we’ll cover how to set up iCloud on an iPad or iPhone with iOS 12 or later and on a Mac computer with macOS 10.14 Mojave or later. We also discuss how to work with iCloud on these devices. Do you have a Windows computer? Then read the article ‘Transfer data between devices using iCloud.”

iCloud is a service from Apple that allows you to sync information and files between the iPad/iPhone and the computer. The iPad or iPhone is not physically linked to a computer. Read more about the basics of this service in the article ‘What is iCloud?’.

If you are not yet using iCloud, you must activate it first. Use your Apple ID for this. That’s the email address you also use to sign in to other Apple services, such as the App Store. No Apple ID yet? In the tip ‘Create an Apple ID’ we describe how to create one.

Check if you are logged in as follows:

• Tap on Institutions.
• If your name is at the top of the window, you are logged in.
  
• If not, but do you have an Apple ID? Then tap Log in to your iPhone/iPad.
• Tap on E-mail and type the email address.
• Tap on Next one.
• Enter the corresponding password and tap Next one.
• If you have additional Apple devices or have provided a phone number, a verification code will be sent to them.
• Enter this code.
• If there is a passcode set for the iPad/iPhone, enter it now.

Once iCloud is on, you can adjust the settings and control what data you store in iCloud.

• Tap on Institutions.
• Tap your username at the top.
• Tap on iCloud.
• Here you will find all settings around iCloud. In the window you will see an overview of apps and functions. If the slider behind the app name is green, or you see the text ‘On’ behind the app, the data from this app is being saved. Tap the slider or text to adjust the setting. You have the following options:
  • Photos: For photos, Apple has a separate service within iCloud consisting of the options ‘iCloud Photos’, ‘(Upload to) My Photo Stream’ (not always available) and ‘Shared Albums’. The first two options are important for viewing your photos yourself. Upload to My Photo Stream automatically copies new photos to a folder that’s visible on all your devices. However, the photos only stay in the folder for 30 days. With iCloud Photos, you not only have access to the latest photos, but you can access the entire photo collection anywhere, anytime.
  • iCloud backup: A backup is a backup of your device that you can use to later transfer to a (new) device.
  • Keychain: Keeps saved passwords up to date on all authorized devices.
  • iCloud Drive: you use this to store documents online.
  • Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Safari, Messages, Notes, etc.: Turn on these sliders to access the data from these apps on your other devices.

You need an Apple ID to use iCloud. You must be logged in to the Mac with this. If so, iCloud is also on. The various parts of iCloud still need to be turned on or off.

Check if you are logged in as follows:

• Click the Apple logo at the top left of the screen.
• click on System Preferences. With macOS 10.14 Mojave and earlier, you must first click iCloud (with newer versions this is not necessary).
• If your name is at the top of the window, you are logged in.
• If not, but do you have an Apple ID? Then click in the field behind ‘Apple ID’.
• Enter the email address associated with your Apple ID.
• click on Next one.
• Enter the corresponding password.
• click on Next one.
• A verification code may arrive on your Mac. click on Allow. The code appears on the screen.
• Enter the verification code.
• Enter the password of the Mac if necessary and click OK.
• Decide whether you want to merge Contacts, Calendars, and Safari with iCloud. We click merge.
• Decide if you want to set up Find My Mac. Read the explanation in the window for this. We click Allow.

The Apple ID is set. There’s a whole row of programs/options that you can sync data between your devices and then access via iCloud.com. It is beyond the scope of this article to explain all the options, but the following options are useful to leave checked:

• iCloud Drive, to store documents that are easy to share and edit anywhere.
• photos, access your photos anywhere.
• Mail, if you are using an iCloud email address.
• Contacts, access to the same contacts everywhere.
• Calendars, your agenda the same everywhere.
• Memories, a set reminder arrives on all devices.
• Safari, your bookmarks are the same everywhere.
• Notes, your notes are the same everywhere.
• SiriSiri is the same everywhere.
• Keychain, your passwords are stored everywhere.
• Find my Mac, Mac stolen? For example, lock it via your iPad or iPhone.

Close this window via the cross at the top left. Changes are saved automatically.

Enable the iCloud Photo service as follows:

• Click the Photos application icon on the Dock . If it’s not on the Dock, open Finder from the smiley face icon on the Dock. click on apps or Programs and then double click photos.
• When using the Photos program for the first time, click To work and then on Use iCloud Photos.
• Click in the menu on photos > Preferences.
• In the window that appears, click iCloud.
• Put a tick in front of iCloud Photos if the checkmark is not already there.

The photos are stored in iCloud in original quality. Choose to leave the originals on the Mac (the device will always have the best photos on it, even if you don’t have an internet connection for a while and iCloud serves as a backup), or to only show a lower quality preview if there are too little space on the Mac is available. The original is only transferred to the computer when the photo is edited or sent. By default, the ‘Download originals to this Mac’ option is selected. Choose Optimize Mac Storage if you are low on storage space on the Mac.