iCloud Plus | The New Powerfully Connected Apple Experience

iCloud has been a mainstay of Apple products for several years, but with its introduction of iCloud+ (iCloud Plus), many consumers are left wondering what it’s all about and how it works. On that note, we will be running through everything you need to know about iCloud Plus in detail, including its price and features, so you know exactly what you’re getting into before starting.

So, do you need more iCloud storage for your cloud computing technology operations with Apple devices? Well, you need to upgrade to iCloud Plus which kicks in extra space, along with additional security and privacy features. Other additional features in the new iCloud Plus cloud-based technology platform include Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video.

iCloud Plus is built into every Apple device. It keeps your photos, videos, and notes more safe, automatically backed up, and available anywhere you go — with 5GB of storage for free. For instance, iCloud+ Photos keeps a lifetime of your original high-resolution photos and videos securely stored and protected in iCloud — with lightweight space-saving versions on all your devices.

Notwithstanding, the plan is accessible from your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and Apple TV, and can be shared with as many as five family members. For this reason, whether it’s a video of your puppy at the beach taken yesterday or a photo of your friends years ago, your entire collection is accessible and shareable no matter where you are. Let’s explore a few more notable features.

Everything That Matters, Saved And Sound With iCloud Plus

iCloud Plus is a premium version of the standard iCloud service with more storage than iCloud — iCloud Plus plans come with 50GB, 200GB, or 2TB of storage. Additionally, it can be used to store photos, media, files, and more in the Cloud. These can be accessed by any Apple device that is logged in with your Apple ID, making it easier to share your information across different platforms.

Users can also back up their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to iCloud Plus. Not only does this keep your data safe, but it means that your backups are always available if you need to restore an existing device or set up a new one. iCloud includes a free email account and 5 GB of free storage for your data. For more storage and additional features, you can upgrade to iCloud+.

In other words, iCloud.com has been redesigned and upgraded to iCloud+ (iCloud Plus) with amazingly new features so you can easily view, manage, and edit what you have stored in iCloud on any device. Notwithstanding, with the help of the complimentary iCloud for Windows Application, you can access photos and files you’ve saved to iCloud directly from your computing device.

It’s essential to keep personal information from your devices safe, up-to-date, and available wherever you are. At iCloud.com, changes you make will sync to your iPhone and other devices, so you are always up to date. Upgrade to iCloud+ to get more storage and additional features like iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video. Share your subscription with others.

The Notable Features That Come With iCloud+ (iCloud Plus)

By all means, it’s worth noting that iCloud+ (iCloud Plus) comes with a few premium features compared to the base subscription. Upgrading to iCloud Plus gives users access to iCloud Private Relay, which can hide your IP address and browsing activity in Safari and protect your internet traffic. Apple claims that it can do all of this without affecting the performance of the browser.

Another feature is HomeKit Secure Video. This allows users to connect home security cameras in the Home app to record footage and view it from anywhere while keeping it private and secure. Custom Email Domain, as the name suggests, gives users the chance to personalize their iCloud email address with a custom domain name, which can be viewed by friends and family.

There is also Hide My Email, which creates a unique, random email address that is forwarded to your inbox so you can receive alerts and emails without needing to share your email address. iCloud Plus shared library is the best way to seamlessly share the photos and videos you want with up to five other people. Still, shared library content appears in Featured Photos and Memories.

Upgrading to iCloud Plus gives you even more storage and enhanced privacy features that protect you and your data. It’s all the power of iCloud Plus. Every iCloud Plus Plan includes iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video. And additional plans have even more storage. With that in mind, below are other memorable iCloud Plus features to note.

1. Innovative HomeKit 

Launched way back in 2014 as part of iOS 8, iCloud HomeKit is Apple’s smart home control platform that pulls together devices from disparate manufacturers letting you control them and automate your home from one place. Ultimately, the innovative iCloud Drive makes the files and folders you save easy to get to and share, no matter which computing device you’re using.

With the help of the new iCloud+ Home features, you can view files and folders on iCloud Drive on iCloud.com or the in-built iOS application. On that note, to access or find your files on iCloud, use a web browser to view your files and folders. Rather, using the iCloud Drive option on iCloud.com, click an option in the sidebar, such as Recents or Browse. If you don’t see the sidebar, click.

On the one hand, the HomeKit Secure Video enables activity detected by your security cameras to be recorded, analyzed on your home hub device, and uploaded to iCloud so you can view it in the Home app from anywhere. On the other hand, the footage is end-to-end encrypted, so you can trust that your video is always private and that only the people you choose can access it.

2. Custom Versions

Of course, Apple services work best with Apple’s apps on Apple devices, but the company also offers web versions for some services on iCloud.com. Now the website has received a partial overhaul. Apple has rolled out a new design for the iCloud.com homepage, which you see immediately after logging in. The old layout was just a grid of icons for each service, such as Mail, Calendar, etc.

This also includes features like Contacts, Photos, iCloud Drive, and so on. Realistically, the new version has more data visible without opening a specific web app. Widget-like blocks, called “tiles,” can display images and lists right on the homepage. For beginner customers, there’s a “Customize Home Page” button at the bottom, which opens a view to add or remove tiles from the page.

There are tiles available for Photos, Mail, Drive, Notes, Calendar, Numbers, Pages, Reminders, and Keynote. Apple also has a standard grid of app icons, either in the “apps” tile or in the pop-up menu that appears when you click the grid button at the top-right. Apple also added a plus button at the top-right corner, which allows you to create something without opening one of the apps first.

There are options to start a new email message, create a note, set a reminder, make a new Pages or Numbers document, and so on. Markedly, the actual iCloud web apps seemingly haven’t changed, and there’s still no dark mode support at all. Still, the new homepage is a better experience for whenever you need to check your iCloud data on a work computer or other non-Apple device.

3. iCloud Mail

Technically, this feature is already seamlessly integrated with the Mail app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and iCloud.com makes it easy to send and receive email from anywhere. Security features like spam protection and antiphishing are built to detect and block junk mail before it reaches your inbox. Furthermore, it’s simple to set up and customize your own @icloud.com email address.

As a result, it means that when you subscribe to iCloud+, you’ll be able to personalize your email with a custom domain. Its Messages feature keeps you in control of your conversations with the ability to edit, give Tapbacks, and undo sent messages. When you sync Messages in iCloud, your conversations always go smoothly since every message is backed up and is end‑to‑end encrypted.

4. Hide My Email

In layman’s language, the Hide My Email Feature lets you generate unique, random email addresses that automatically forward to your inbox — and even let you reply — so you don’t have to share your real email address when filling out a form on the web or signing up for a newsletter. In addition, the newly upgraded or rebranded Apple smart home control platform allows you to easily collaborate.

You can also share files, folders, documents, and more while you’re on the go. Just send a private link and control whether others can view, share, or edit the work. And with live updates, you can see edits as they’re being made. Changes you make will sync to your iPhone and other devices, so you are always up to date. Equally important, the new upgrade to iCloud+ means more storage.

Plus, the application platform also provides you with additional features to protect your privacy. Upgrade to iCloud+ to get more storage and additional features like iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video. Remember that all your messages are kept in sync across all your devices.

6. Shared Albums

iCloud+ shared albums make it easy to share the photos you want with the people you choose, like combining your road trip photos with your friends’ photos or keeping family updated on the kids’ adventures. The people you share the album with are notified whenever it’s updated, and everyone can add their photos, videos, and comments over time. But, how do you open a folder with files?

Eventually, to open a folder, you can double-click on it. At the same time, to view a file, do one of the following: Open it in a new tab: Double-click it. If you see a preview in your current tab: Select it, click in the top right-hand corner, and then choose the ‘Preview’ function. However, it’s worth mentioning that if the file does not have a thumbnail, you cannot see it in the preview mode.

Access all photos from the Files app on iOS and iPadOS, the Finder on your Mac, File Explorer for Windows PCs, or iCloud.com. Remember, shared library content appears in Featured Photos and Memories so you can relive your adventures using pictures everyone took. Phone numbers and emails of friends and family are kept in sync, so it’s easy to reach out to anyone from any device.

7. Monitor Storage

In this case, iCloud Storage is the service from Apple that securely stores your photos, files, notes, passwords, and other data in the cloud and keeps it up to date across all your devices, automatically. iCloud storage also makes it easy to share photos, files, notes, and more with friends and family.  Eventually, you can easily and quickly check your iCloud storage capacity.

This is made possible by accessing your storage on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It means that on iCloud.com, you can see how much iCloud storage you have and how much is available. In the toolbar, then click Your iCloud Storage. Below the storage bar, you see a list of apps and features and how much iCloud storage they use.  In this case, you can use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Forthwith, to get started, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. The bar graph shows your overall storage usage. Tap Manage Account Storage or Manage Storage for more details. Remember, while using the application, your tabs and bookmarks stay up to date automatically, so you can switch devices and pick up your online shopping or school research project right where you left off.

8. Security Features

One safety security feature that the upgraded iCloud+ system offers is the functionality to easily access applications and data from your iPhone on the web. Markedly, the rebranded iCloud+ is essential for keeping personal information from your devices safe, up-to-date, and available wherever you are. At iCloud.com, you can access your photos, files, and more from any web browser.

The innovative Private Relay Feature takes your privacy to the next level when browsing with Safari. It’s designed to prevent websites and network providers from building a profile about you based on your IP address, location, and browsing history. Just turn it on and you’re instantly protected. As mentioned, you can even share your upgraded subscription package with your family.

What’s more, you can also restore your device or set up a new one from your iCloud backup to seamlessly bring along all your photos, files, contacts, apps, settings, and more, so it looks just like your previous one. Notwithstanding, its essential Passwords & Keychains Manager Toolkits help securely store passwords — you can use AutoFill to simplify signing into favorite apps/webs.

9. Family Sharing

Share any iCloud+ plan with up to five other people in your Family Sharing group. Everyone will get access to the storage they need, along with features that keep them in control of their privacy, at no additional cost per user. A single subscription can cover everyone in your household, and each person’s files, documents, and other personal information remain private and separate.

As mentioned, with Family Sharing, you and up to five other family members can share access to amazing Apple services like iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and Apple Arcade. Your group can also share iTunes, Apple Books, and App Store purchases. At the same time, you can even help locate each other’s missing devices. Share Apple subscriptions.

Whether it’s music, TV and movies, news, games, or fitness, Apple subscriptions have something for everyone. With iCloud+, you can share storage and features like iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, and HomeKit Secure Video support with your family. When you use Family Sharing, your whole family can share access to the same Apple subscriptions.

10. Bundled Subscriptions 

To help optimize your experience, there is a free version of the iCloud service plan. Usually, the first time you sign in to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac with your Apple ID, you’ll get 5GB of free iCloud storage. This allows you to back up your data and keep your personal information in sync across your devices and at iCloud.com. At the same time, you’ll get additional storage for all your data.

Equally important, you’ll also have access to iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, HomeKit Secure Video, and more, simply upgrade to iCloud+. For your information, the iCloud+ plan is included as part of all Apple One plans, so you can get all of Apple’s services with a single subscription. You can also combine an iCloud+ subscription with Apple One for even more total storage.

In other words, we can simply say that the iCloud HomeKit offers its customers the freedom to share iCloud+ for free with up to five family members — with everyone’s photos and files kept separate. At the same time, regarding Privacy Protection, its innovative features like two-factor authentication and Advanced Data Protection provide the highest level of cloud data security.

Before we conclude, it’s worth mentioning that Apple One bundles up to six Apple subscriptions for one lower monthly price, including up to 2TB of iCloud+ storage. And with the Family plan or Premier plan, you can invite up to five other people to join — with private access on all of their devices. It’s never been easier to get more. For less.

In Summary;

Powered by Apple, iCloud has long been the ultimate online service and digital solution for backing up, syncing, and sharing your online files. In 2021, Apple unveiled iCloud Plus, an expansive upgrade to its paid storage subscription. This premium service provides more cloud storage space than the free version and adds exclusive features aimed at enhancing your security and privacy online.

In other words,  iCloud Plus is a premium subscription that provides additional storage to keep your photos, videos, files, and more backed up and automatically available across your devices. It also includes access to features like iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video support for a private and connected experience.

As a rule of thumb, given the ever-evolving cloud computing technology landscape and cybersecurity risks, iCloud+ (iCloud Plus) helps you keep your most important information—like your photos, files, and backups—secure, up-to-date, and available across all your devices. In addition, iCloud also makes it easy to share photos, files, notes, and more with friends and family.

Overall, it’s pretty easy to upgrade from the standard iCloud package to the iCloud Plus plan. Just click one of the upgrade links on this page, or go to iCloud Settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to upgrade to iCloud+. Next, ensure that you Try Apple One Free to get up to five other great services such as iCloud Plus, Music, TV+, News+, Fitness+, and Arcade — start enjoying more for less.