Take Control of iCloud, Ninth Edition

Understand iCloud’s capabilities and limitations, and put its key features to good use!

Version 9.2.1, updated May 15, 2025

Apple’s iCloud service is useful but can also create headaches for the average user. In this book, Joe Kissell explains how to avoid frustrations and make iCloud work for you across all your devices.

iCloud is a simple idea in theory—access to all your data on all your devices, via the cloud—that can become complicated when put into practice. Instead of wasting time fiddling with iCloud, when there are many other more important things to be done with the information it contains, learn how to minimize frustrations with Take Control of iCloud, Ninth Edition!

Whether you want a quick tip or a deep dive into the inner workings of iCloud, you’ll find what you need in this best-selling book by Apple expert Joe Kissell. Start by learning what iCloud can do, how it differs from other cloud services, and how best to set it up on Macs, iOS and iPadOS devices, Apple TVs, and Windows PCs.

Then, move on to finding out the key aspects—and hidden gotchas—of iCloud’s core features, including:

• iCloud+, Apple's paid membership tiers with extra features

• Photo features: iCloud Photos, iCloud Photo Sharing, and iCloud Shared Photo Library

• Family Sharing

• iTunes Match and iCloud Music Library

• iCloud Drive

• Mail and Mail Drop

• Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and Notes

• iCloud Keychain

• the iCloud website

• Location features: Find My Device, Find My Item, Find My People, and the Find My app

• Two-factor authentication

• Activation lock

• Backing up and recovering data

• Managing your privacy and security (including the use of Advanced Data Protection)

This edition has been updated to cover macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and recent changes to the iCloud website. It also continues to cover macOS 10.15 Catalina through macOS 15 Sonoma and iOS 17/iPadOS 17, but drops coverage of earlier operating system versions.