Apple iCloud

Apple iCloud is an embedded service of the Apple's Digital Ecosystem . Since the impact of the usage of Apple iCloud is great, this article tries to help the user.

Apple's own Description

iCloud is built into every Apple device. That means all your stuff — photos, files, notes, and more — is safe, up to date, and available wherever you are. And it works automatically, so all you have to do is keep doing what you love. Everyone gets 5GB of free iCloud storage to start, and it’s easy to add more at any time.

Introduction

Apple's iCloud is used to access data on all Apple device (iPad, iPhone, Mac). In the System Preferences of the devices the user can decide for himself which applications he wishes to share over the devices. Examples are:

• Business Apps i.e. Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Notes and Reminders
• Financial Apps, i.e. Stocks and Wallet
• Health Apps i.e. Health
• Miscellaneous Apps, i.e. iBooks, Game Center, Maps, Photos, Safari, Siri
• Security Apps, i.e. Keychain
• System: iCloud Backup

The above Apps are all Apple Propriety Apps. iCloud can also be used for third-party apps. Examples:

• Buienradar, Star Walk 2, MeteoEarth, WheaterPro
• Camera+
• Dropbox and Google Drive
• Etc.

Next the apps you can store folders to the iCloud Drive. See iCloud Drive.

iCloud Drive

iCloud Drive lets you securely access all of your documents from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Windows PC. So no matter which device you’re using, you always have the most up to date documents when you need them.

What can you do with iCloud Drive?

• Keep files and folders up to date across all of your devices.
• Create new files and folders from iCloud-enabled apps.
• Work on the same file across multiple apps.
• Access the files from your Mac Desktop and Documents folder everywhere that you use iCloud Drive.
• Share files with anyone you like.

Requirements

• Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest iOS and your Mac to the latest macOS.
• Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
• Set up iCloud on all of your devices and turn on iCloud Drive.
• If you have a Windows PC, update to Windows 7 or later and download iCloud for Windows.

Access Files

How do I access my files in iCloud Drive? There are multiple ways you can access your files in iCloud Drive:

• Using any supported web browser, you can use iCloud Drive at iCloud.com.
• On your Mac, you can go to iCloud Drive in Finder.
• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 11 or later, you can access your files from the Files app.
  On iOS 9 or iOS 10, you can access them from the iCloud Drive app.
• On your PC with Windows 7 or later and iCloud for Windows, you can go to iCloud Drive in File Explorer.

When you add your Desktop and Documents to iCloud Drive, all of your files move to iCloud. On your Mac, you can find the files on your Desktop and in your Documents folder in Finder under iCloud. If you add a second Mac Desktop, you'll find those files in the Desktop folder in iCloud Drive. A folder is created with the same name as your second Mac.

iCloud Family Share

Share an iCloud storage plan with your family.
With Family Sharing, you can share a single iCloud storage plan with up to five other family members.

• Apple Family Sharing, My personal and private Apple Family Sharing.

iCloud Advanced Data Protection

Key takeaway	Implications	What is it?
Advanced Data Protection secures your iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, using keys stored on local, trusted devices like your iPhone. You should only enable the feature if you're confident you can restore access to this data with a recovery key or trusted contact should you lose access to your iCloud data.	Do you have important information in iCloud that you want to keep private? Advanced Data Protection lets you do just that, but there’s more to turning the feature on than simply flipping a switch. Make sure you understand the implications of doing so before you proceed.	Advanced Data Protection is Apple’s name for end-to-end encryption for your iCloud data. End-to-end encryption means that data is encrypted when it leaves your device, stored in that encrypted format on Apple’s servers, then decrypted with the required key using trusted devices, like your iPhone. The big difference is that only you have the key to decrypt your data: Not even Apple has the key to access your data on its servers.
Recovery contact	Family Sharing	How to turn on Advanced Data Protection
Enabling Advanced Data Protection affords your data better protection, but it also means that accessing your data depends on you having a recovery key or at least one trusted contact you can use if you lose access. Should you lose track of either of those things, you won’t be able to recover your data at all. Apple won’t be able to assist you because Apple doesn’t have the decryption key. You’ll be prompted to select your recovery assistance choices as part of the setup if you haven’t already set up Account Recovery for your Apple ID.	Choosing to turn on Advanced Data Protection for iCloud has no impact on other members of your Family Share group. Security highly recommend turning this on and having your Family Share members do the same. It will not impact anyone and you won't notice any differences. All it does is encrypt data that you have stored in iCloud that wasn't encrypted before.	Follow the steps provided by Apple support . It will turn off access to iCloud.com by default. I recommend keeping this off, it prevents anyone from accessing your data because they would need one of your devices to access it. However, if you use iCloud.com: Open Settings Tap Your Name (Apple ID) Scroll to the bottom toggle on Access iCloud Data on the Web.

Source: HowToGeek, Should you enable advanced data protection.

Enable Advanced Data Protection

Enable Advanced Data Protection Part 1

Overview The documents, backups, app data and other files stored in iCloud are encrypted for security. However, with the standard data protection, Apple has a copy of the security keys used to scramble your data. It enables them to recover your account if you lose access, which is useful, but also means a potential security risk. Enable Advance Data Protection and Apple gives you the security key and deletes its own copy. Only you have access to your data. Take care - if you lose it - no-one can recover your account, not even Apple, but that's the point. Overview

width="50%" Enable Advanced Data Protection Part 2

Source: iCreate issue 249

See also

• iMore.com, Everything you need to know about backing up to iCloud.