How to set up and customize iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Whether you've recently got a new iPhone and are setting up your first iCloud account or have had an iPhone for a while but never set up iCloud before, this is your guide to setting up and customizing iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Want to know more about iCloud? Check out our ultimate guide!

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How to set up iCloud

iCloud is available on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

When you upgrade your iOS operating system or start using an iPhone for the first time, you will be asked whether you want to use iCloud Drive to store your data. If you tap "Yes," you're all set. If you touched "No" during setup but have decided you want to use iCloud Drive, you can still enable it manually.

1. Launch the Settings app from your Home screen.
2. Tap Apple ID banner.
3. Choose iCloud.

4. Toggle on the iCloud Drive
5. Log in with your iCloud account.

Repeat this process on all iOS devices you want to sync with iCloud.

When you upgrade your Mac operating system or start using a Mac for the first time, you will be asked whether you want to use iCloud Drive to store your data. If you click "Yes," you are all set. If you clicked "No" during setup but have since decided you want to use iCloud Drive, you can still enable it manually.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Choose Sign in at the top right.

4. Enter your Apple ID and Password.
5. Click Next.

6. Choose Allow to allow Find My Mac in the popup.
7. Confirm the checkboxes next to all the apps that use iCloud.

It would be best if you kept the checkboxes on each app; by doing so, your settings will carry across all your iCloud-enabled devices.

How to view your iCloud account information

You can check your contact information, password and security, registered devices, and iCloud payment setup on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID banner.
3. Choose Name, Phone Numbers, and Email.

You can change your name, an email address/phone number where people can reach you, and your birthday.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID banner.
3. Choose Password.

You can change your password, the phone number you have registered as your trusted number, and get a verification code to sign in another device on iCloud.com.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID banner.
3. Scroll down and tap a device to view it.

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID banner.
3. Select Payment & Shipping.

You can change your credit card number and expiration date and change the shipping address associated with your Apple ID.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Click on System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Apple ID at the top.

4. Click on Name, Phone, Email.

You can change the email address and phone number people can reach you at and change your birthday. You can also enable email subscriptions for announcements about Apple products and top news stories.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Click on System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Apple ID at the top.

4. Click on Password & Security.

You can change your password, add a new phone number to your trusted numbers, and get a verification code sent to you so you can sign in on another device or at iCloud.com.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Click on System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Apple ID at the top.

4. Click on Payment & Shipping to view, edit, or change the credit card you have set up for making purchases in iTunes, iCloud, the Apple online store, and Apple Pay.

How to manage iCloud sync permissions

Many third-party apps connect to iCloud so that you can access files from any device. However, you don't have to keep all documents stored in iCloud. Even if you initially set up a third-party app with iCloud, you can revoke permission manually at any time.

1. Launch the Settings app from your Home screen.
2. Tap Apple ID banner.
3. Choose iCloud.

4. Toggle the switch on or off for the app you want to allow or revoke iCloud Drive syncing.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Click on System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Apple ID at the top.

4. Click iCloud on the left.
5. Click on Options next to iCloud Drive on the right.
6. Tick or untick the box next to the app you want to allow or revoke iCloud Drive syncing.

How to sign out of iCloud

If for any reason, you decide that you no longer want to use iCloud Drive on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can sign out of any device.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your Apple ID banner.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and tap Sign Out.

4. Tap Delete from My iPhone.
5. Choose Keep on my iPhone to store iCloud data locally on your device, or tap Delete from My iPhone to remove data from your device.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
2. Click on System Preferences... from the drop-down menu.
3. Click Apple ID at the top.

4. Click on Overview on the right.
5. Choose Sign Out
6. Toggle the content you'd like to keep on your Mac.
7. Select Keep a Copy.
8. Following additional prompts, if applicable.

Useful feature

Apple's iCloud offers many different features and is available across your many Apple devices. Setting it up takes just a few steps, as you can see above.