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How to use iCloud on iPhone

iCloud securely stores your photos, videos, documents, backups, and more, and keeps them updated across all your devices automatically. With iCloud, you can also share photos, calendars, notes, folders, and files with friends and family.

iCloud provides you with an email account and 5 GB of free storage for your data. You can set up iCloud and use it with apps on iPhone.

Here’s how to use iCloud on iPhone.

Note: Some iCloud features have minimum system requirements. The availability of iCloud and its features varies by country or region.

Set up iCloud

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap your name.

    If you don’t see your name, tap Apple Account, then sign in to your Apple Account.

  3. Tap iCloud, tap See All, and turn on the apps and features you want to sync with iCloud.

For example, turn on iCloud Drive to make your files in iCloud Drive available to your other devices.

The iCloud settings screen showing the iCloud storage meter and a list of features—including Photos, iCloud Drive, and iCloud Backup—that can be used with iCloud.

Use iCloud with apps on iPhone

iCloud can also store the following information and keep it up to date across your iPhone and other Apple devices:

  • iCloud Backup

    iCloud can keep your iPhone backed up automatically.

    Back up iPhone

  • Photos

    Store your full-resolution photo library in iCloud and keep it in sync across all your devices. You can also share photos and videos with shared albums or an iCloud Shared Photo Library.

  • iCloud Drive

    Keep your files in iCloud Drive, access them from any device, and share folders and documents with others.

    Set up iCloud Drive

  • Messages

    Keep your conversations up to date and available across all your devices.

    Set up Messages

  • Mail

    Get an iCloud email address and access iCloud Mail across all your Apple devices.

    Set up iCloud Mail on all your devices

  • Passwords

    Sync your passwords and passkeys securely across all your devices with iCloud Keychain.

    Use passwords

  • Find My

    Locate a missing device and share locations with friends and family.

    Locate a missing device

  • And more…

    iCloud also keeps apps like Contacts, Calendars, Notes, and Reminders in sync, along with data from compatible third-party apps and games.

You can subscribe to iCloud+ to get additional storage and access to Hide My Email, iCloud Private Relay, Apple Invites, HomeKit Secure Video support, and more.

Your iCloud data is also accessible on Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV 4K, Apple Vision Pro, Windows devices, and iCloud.com.

Tag: iCloud