HOW TO Sync your data across your devices >

1 Choose your apps

On your Mac, go into System Preferences > Your Name and then select iCloud from the sidebar. This shows you which apps and services are currently using iCloud on the current Mac. You can uncheck any apps you’d like to exclude.

2 Change iCloud Drive

If you click on the Options button next to iCloud Drive, you’ll see a list of the apps that store their documents and data in iCloud. In this example, we’re syncing a fair bit of stuff, including Messages and GarageBand projects.

3 Sync other apps

Some third-party apps can access iCloud data. For example, Fantastical 2 can connect to iCloud calendars and reminders and you can edit them in the app. To keep iCloud secure, Apple needs you to create passwords for those apps.

4 Create app passwords

An app-specific password is a oneoff password that can only be used by one app on one device to connect to your iCloud data, and to create it you’ll need to visit appleid.apple.com and scroll down to the security section.

5 Use iCloud on iOS

In iOS or iPadOS, go into Settings > Your Name > iCloud and, if you’re logged into your iCloud account, you’ll see how much of your storage you’ve used and the Manage Storage option if you want to have a clear-out.

6 Enable your apps

As with the Mac, you’ll also see which apps are currently using iCloud. Apple’s ones are listed first, then you’ll see details of the non-Apple apps that use iCloud to sync data between devices. Just tap on an app to stop it syncing.