ICloud and syncing
Getting the most from Apple’s online sycing and cloud storage service
Happily, iCloud makes it really simple to share files and access them from anywhere you access to the internet. For many files, you don’t even need a Mac or iOS device – a PC running a web browser will work in a pinch if you need to work on iWork apps, access your calendar and more. The best part of iCloud is that it’s conceivable you’ll never have to connect your iPhone or your iPad to your Mac again to share all the same information – iCloud will do it for you.
Frequently asked questions arise about how to best use iCloud, however, so let’s tackle them.
How do I share documents in the cloud?
Apple’s own apps – including iMovie, GarageBand, Pages, Numbers and Keynote – allow you to save files directly in iCloud. There, they’re accessible to their counterparts on any other devices – an iPhone, an iPad, an iPod touch, even another Mac or a PC running a web browser. If you’ve created iWork files on your Mac that you’d like to put in the cloud to access somewhere else, click on the File menu and select Save. Instead of finding a local place for it, click on the Where menu > iCloud > Save.
Does Documents in the Cloud only work on Apple apps?
An increasing number of third party apps also supports Documents in the Cloud. NoteSuite, Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, Pixelmator, iA Writer, Realmac Software’s Ember and others do.
I can’t seem to share documents and data in iCloud… help!
First of all, make sure the app you’re using supports iCloud and Documents in the Cloud. Next, go to the iCloud system preference and make sure Documents and Data is selected. Then click on the Options… button to see the list of apps authorised to store documents and data in iCloud. If your app is on the list but is unchecked, click the checkbox.
How do I delete pictures from Photo Stream?
Launch iPhoto on the Mac, and then click on the iCloud icon below Shared in the sidebar to show your Photo Stream. Click on it to get a list of all photos that lie within. Click the photo you want to delete. If you want to delete multiple photos you can use ç, or use ß to select a range of photos, then hit Delete.
How do I delete documents from iCloud?
Open iCloud’s system preference and then click on the Manage button to the right of your iCloud Storage meter, near the bottom of the window. That opens the Manage Storage window, where you can select individual files to be deleted. You can also delete unneeded iOS device backups, game files and other data that’s taking up space in your iCloud account.
iCloud sync doesn’t appear to be working…
Check Apple’s System Status web page at (apple.com/support/systemstatus) to find out if the company is reporting any sort of outage, or open the iCloud system preference and see if any routine services have become unchecked. Or… you can try restarting your Mac!
Can iCloud avoid junk mail?
Yes it can! Open icloud.com, sign in and then click on the Mail app. Open Mail preferences by clicking the gear icon in the lower-left corner, underneath the sidebar. Click on the Rules icon to create rules that send the unwanted mail to the trash. Because this is server-based as opposed to the mail running on your Mac, junk mail will be filtered before it reaches your Mac. What’s more, if you click on the Accounts icon, you can create up to three aliases for your iCloud account. Use these aliases for ecommerce sites or other places you visit on a regular basis where you don’t need your regular email address used; you can filter incoming mail sent to those addresses and not be bothered by them.