• Meeting and Q&A with Harry
• "Filing and identifying photos" by Ron Sharp
Minutes for Magic Zoom meeting, January 19, 2022
Harry Anderson called the meeting to order at 4:03 with 18 members in attendance.
Gary McIntyre gave the Treasurer's report: a balance of $8,818.06; we had an income of $550 from mentoring and $40 from dues/contributions. Harry reminded members that since we are not meeting or collecting any dues, contributions from the membership are welcome (visit the website www.whidbey.com/magicmug).
Harry then wished everyone a Happy New Year and announced that meetings will continue to be by Zoom until at least April. Today's presentation is by Robert Elphick on using iMovie. Ron Sharp will present a program on Filing and Identifying Photos on February 16, and Gary McIntyre will explain using Preferences on March 16. The Board will meet before April to determine if we will continue holding our meetings through Zoom.
Harry then introduced the program on using iMovie by Robert Elphick. He reminded members to remain on Mute during the presentation. For questions, use the Chat feature and Harry will monitor and forward questions to the presenter. Since the presentation is recorded, anyone not wishing to be viewed in the recording should turn off their video.
Robert then began the recorded presentation, showing how to use the Apple ebook iMovie for Mac Starter Kit, which is available for free from Apple under the Books icon. Robert will also add some additional resources to the recorded program (which lasts for 50 minutes).
Q and A after the presentation:
Question: Would it be better to make a "movie" of a group of photos using iMovie or Keynote?
Answer: Robert pointed out that there are more options with iMovie: zooming in and out, panning, and adding narration.
Question: Can you use iMovie to do time-lapse photography as for a flower opening up?
Answer: You can do this better with your iPhone camera, timing it every minute, every hour, or once a day. The problem is taking a photo in constant light (might have to have artificial light).
General Q and A
Question: I have hundreds of emails to clean up. I want to select and delete more than one at a time.
Answer: If you have a POP account, you can only delete one at a time. But you can use your browser to go to Whidbey Telecom and delete them from there. If you use Apple mail, you can delete them from Apples iCloud web page: https://www.icloud.com
Question: How do I get to the bottom of the email list quickly?
Answer: Use the scroll bar on the side of the window to scroll to the bottom or change the list order to "Oldest message on top." For handling email on multiple devices, it's better to do it with an IMAP account. To change to IMAP, you would have to create an entirely new account. The advantage of IMAP is that deleting an email from one device removes it from all devices.
Question: We used to be able to bring our used cartridges to Magic meetings. What should we do with them now?
Answer: You can take them to Island Country recycling; there is a bin to the left as you drive in (near the Clothes bin) for ink cartridges.
Question: After my MacBook Air was hacked, if I shut my computer down, when I open it back up I see an unwanted wi fi network under the wifi symbol.
Answer: You will see nearby routers under that symbol, but it doesn't mean they can access your computer. (She was afraid that seeing the wi fi network that someone might be trying to access her computer. But the wi fi was turned off and shouldn't have come on at all.) Gary added that if there is something more worrisome happening to her, they will work with her on it.
It was advised that she make sure the laptop gets completely shut down and perhaps even unplug the ethernet cable at night.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:15.
MAGIC Musings
by Harry Anderson, MAGIC President
Greetings, everyone! With Valentine's Day about to happen, I hope you are all safe, well and snuggling with someone you love. This is a short month, with just 28 days, but since it contains that beautiful holiday when we celebrate romance and sweethearts it really doesn't feel shortchanged to me.
As I mentioned last month, it's too early to know how well 2022 will treat us. Covid and all its variants are still lurking everywhere and keeping us from resuming in-person meetings, at least through the first several months of this year. The number of cases and hospitalizations have dropped somewhat, so let's cross our fingers and hope things look much better by summer. And, in the meantime, we'll continue to use Zoom and see each other on our Macs or phone screens!
Our next meeting is on Wednesday Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. Ron Sharp will give us a presentation on filing and identifying photos. Now that's something I really need help with! And on March 16, Gary McIntyre will give us a presentation on how to understand preferences.
But now we need your assistance, dear MAGIC friends. Our board will meet later this month to discuss presentations for the next few months. We need your input. What subjects would you like to have presented? Please give it some thought and at our Feb. 16 meeting, I will ask for your ideas. We have covered a lot of subjects since we began Zoom meetings a year ago, but there are many, many more to discuss. So come prepared to offer your ideas and we'll see you at a at the February meeting.
Note: This Software Update section of the newsletter lists the most relevant Apple updates. Not all updates are listed for all products. Additionally, I'll add other pertinent updates on occasion.
MacOS 12.2 is out with smoother ProMotion scrolling … maybe
by Ed Hardy, cultofmac
Mac users can now install macOS Monterey 12.2. Apple is vague about what's in the new version. However, prerelease beta testers indicate it brings a rewritten Apple Music app and smoother scrolling for MacBooks with ProMotion displays. It definitely fixes a serious Safari bug.
Apple also released iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 to the public Wednesday. And watchOS 8.4, too.
macOS Monterey 12.2 release notes are not very helpful
The macOS 12.2 page of Apple's developer website contains the very unhelpful message that "there are no new release notes for this software update."
But when beta testing began in December, a tester said the new version offers "smoother scrolling in Safari on the latest MacBook Pro with ProMotion." They also said the Mac-maker is rebuilding Apple Music into "a native Apple Music and TV experience backed by AppKit views instead of web views."
One of the security holes removed by macOS 12.2 is a WebKit bug that allowed websites to view Mac users' browsing habits and Google account details. The bug affects Apple's Safari browser on all devices, but various OS updates released today by Apple deal with the problem.
How to install macOS Monterey 12.2
Anyone with a compatible Mac can download macOS Monterey 12.2 now. Go to Apple menu > About This Mac. Then click Software Update. Alternatively, you can install the new version from the App Store. (Note: At the time of this writing, Apple had not yet updated the version of macOS Monterey in the App Store. But it should happen soon.)
Looking ahead
The version release Wednesday does not include Universal Control, which was supposed to be a signature feature of macOS Monterey. Apple has been forced to push back the release until spring 2022. It's possible the feature will be in macOS Monterey 12.3, which is surely in development already.
When it finally launches, Universal Control will enable a single keyboard to control both a Mac and an iPad, allowing users to easily jump between them.
Wizard sez: Version 12.2 of macOS Monterey is now available.
iOS 15.3 is here for your iPhone bugs
by Ed Hardy, cultofmac
Apple made iOS 15.3 available to all compatible iPhone models Monday. The update squashes at least one bug that recently made headlines. But there are no new features.
Apple also introduced iPadOS 15.3 to erase many of the same bugs. And macOS Monterey 12.2 and watchOS 8.4 debuted, too. tvOS 15.3 arrived Monday as well.
Why iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 are a big deal
The release notes for the just-launched operating systems make the lack of new features clear. "iOS 15.3 includes bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone and is recommended for all users," they say. The iPad version says the same, simply subbing in "iPadOS 15.3" and "iPad."
But iPhone and iPad users should install these updates anyway. The new versions include a fix for a nasty WebKit bug that allows websites to view iPhone and iPad users' browsing habits and Google account details. The bug affects Apple's Safari browser on all devices, as well as third-party browsers on iPhones and iPads.
Still, it's a bit surprising that a simple bug-fix update got as big a change in version number as this one. Normally, if bug fixes but no additional features were added to the previous iOS 15.2.1, the newest version would be iOS 15.2.2, not iOS 15.3.
How to install the iOS and iPad OS updates
iPhone or iPad users can install iOS 15.3 or iPadOS 15.3 by connecting the device to a Mac, or to a PC running iTunes. Alternatively, an over-the-air update is also possible. That's accomplished by opening the Settings app and going to General > Software Update.
Looking ahead, Apple has almost certainly already begun work on iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4. The first betas for these should go out within days.
WatchOS 8.4 squashes frustrating Apple Watch charging bug
by Ed Hardy, cultofmac
Apple Watch wearers can now install watchOS 8.4. And many will want to do so soon because the new version removes an irritating bug that prevented some third-party chargers from working.
This is just one of a slew of system software updates from Apple on Wednesday, including macOS Monterey 12.2, iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3.
What's new in watchOS 8.4
Some chargers may not work as expected.
The release notes also make clear that Wednesday's update doesn't include any new features. It's all about squashing bugs.
But one of those bugs is a doozey. It prevented devices from charging when using third-party accessories from a wide range of brands. Apparently, it mostly affected Apple Watch Series 7, but caused the wearable to stop charging after a few minutes. Fortunately, the problem is removed by watchOS 8.4.
Install it now
The watchOS 8.4 update can be installed directly onto an Apple Watch, as long as the wearable is connected to Wi-Fi. From the Settings app just navigate to General > Software Update. Alternatively, it can be installed from an iPhone by opening the Apple Watch app and going to My Watch > General > Software Update.
Apple ships watchOS 8.4.1 update for Apple Watch Series 4 and later
by Amber Neely, appleinsider
Apple has released watchOS 8.4.1, a minor update that likely focuses on bug fixes and security updates.
Apple's new watchOS 8.4.1 update went live on Tuesday, less than a week after watchOS 8.4 was shipped.
The new update is available as an over-the-air update. Users can also install the update manually in the Watch app on an iPhone, given that the Apple Watch is at least 50% charged and placed on a charger.
While it isn't possible to know just yet, the update may address a known issue regarding the Apple Watch Wallet feature not syncing properly.
Your HomePod is a lot more than a simple speaker — it's a whole computer. And like any computer it has an operating system that needs occasional updates.
Here's how to make sure your Apple smart speaker has the latest software version.
On October 25, macOS 12 "Monterey" became available to the general public. The latest iteration of the Mac operating system builds on the legacy of previous versions, adding user-friendly productivity enhancements. We've covered many of the new features of macOS 12 in "The Road to macOS Monterey". Today we give you the rundown on the top 20 macOS Monterey tips to make using your Mac more productive and fun.
The macOS Preview app is the "Swiss Army Knife" of Mac apps. It's the default viewer app for image files on Macs, and it has many tools for editing photos. One feature I wasn't aware of until I was writing an article about using Image Capture to scan documents was that the Preview app can also be used to manipulate PDF files. In this post, I'll show you how to work with PDF selections in Preview.
Apple warns MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR users about potential 'limited brightness' error
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
Apple has published a new support document this week focused on a "limited brightness" display message that MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR users might see. This comes several months after the launch of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and two years after the release of the Pro Display XDR.
According to the support document, some MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR users might notice that their display is limiting its brightness. Apple explains that this can occur if the "ambient temperature of the room is high and you've been playing very bright content for an extended period of time."
This issue solely affects the Pro Display XDR and the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, all of which feature Apple's latest and greatest display technology. This includes support for up to 1600 nits of peak brightness and up to 1000 nits of sustained full-screen brightness.
Apple says that if you see a message on your Mac about "display brightness being limited," or if you see a caution symbol in your menu bar, your display has entered a "low power mode" due to overheating concerns. Apple provides the following options to affected users:
On MacBook Pro with Liquid Retina XDR display, quit any apps that could be consuming significant system resources.
Use the Apple XDR Display or Pro Display XDR reference mode unless your current workflow requires a specific reference mode.
Lower the ambient temperature of the room.
Close or hide any windows with HDR content.
Choose Apple menu > Sleep to put your Mac to sleep. Let your display cool down for 5-10 minutes, then press any key on the keyboard to wake your Mac.
If these options prove ineffective and the "ambient temperature of the room is less than 77 degrees Fahrenheit," Apple says that affected users should contact Apple Support.
It doesn't appear that this is a widespread issue affecting MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR users, particularly considering that the Pro Display XDR has been available for over two years and Apple is only just now publishing this support document. Have you noticed this message on your MacBook Pro or Pro Display XDR? Let us know down in the comments.
How to sell or trade in your old Mac and save on a new one
by Roman Loyola, macworld
Your old Mac is worth more than you might think.
Whether you're planning to buy a new Mac or you got one for the holidays, your current Mac doesn't need to end up in a closet. So what do you do with it? If you aren't planning to give it to a lucky friend or family member, you can trade or sell it to help pay for that new Mac. Here's how to get every last bit of value out of your old Mac.
Apple has a support document that has good instructions on what you should do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. But we have some experience in that department that can help you get the most out of your trade-in or sale.
How to sell or trade in your old Mac and save on a new one
by Roman Loyola, macworld
Whether you're planning to buy a new Mac or you got one for the holidays, your current Mac doesn't need to end up in a closet. So what do you do with it? If you aren't planning to give it to a lucky friend or family member, you can trade or sell it to help pay for that new Mac. Here's how to get every last bit of value out of your old Mac.
Apple has a support document that has good instructions on what you should do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. But we have some experience in that department that can help you get the most out of your trade-in or sale.
How to make sure universal clipboard works with MacOS Monterey
by Dennis Sellers, macsales
The Universal Clipboard feature in macOS, iOS, and iPadOS allows you to copy text, images, photos, and videos from one Apple device and paste it in another. However, when macOS Monterey first debuted, the feature wasn't working. This was fixed in version 12.1 of the operating system upgrade.
However, even after upgrading to macOS Monterey 12.1, I had to do some tweaking to get Universal Clipboard to work between my iMac and iPad Pro. Let's look at the steps I had to take.
To use Universal Clipboard
To use Universal Clipboard, your Apple devices must meet Continuity system requirements. Continuity features are those that make it easy to move between your devices. They include AirDrop, AirPlay to Mac, Apple Pay, Auto Unlock, Continuity Camera, Continuity Markup, Continuity Sketch, Handoff, Instant Hotspot, iPhone Cellular Calls, Sidecar, Text Message Forwarding, and Universal Clipboard. You can find more details here and system requirements here.
Universal Clipboard
What's more, to use Universal Clipboard, all your devices must also have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Handoff turned on in System Preferences (on your Mac) and in Settings (on your iOS and iPadOS devices). You must be signed in with the same Apple ID on all your devices.
But sometimes things don't 'just work'
Everything should work fine now—except when it doesn't. After upgrading to macOS Monterey 12.1, Universal Clipboard worked fine between my Mac and iPhone. Also, I could cut content from my Mac and paste it to my iPad Pro. For example, I could cut and paste text from Pages from the first device to the second.
However, I couldn't cut and paste from my iPad Pro to my Mac. To fix it, I powered off and powered on both devices, then followed these steps:
Turn off, then turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the iMac and iPad.
On the former, open the Settings app and, one-by-one, turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
After 30 seconds, enable them again.
Do the same on the Mac. You will find the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icon in the top menu bar.
Bluetooth icon
Alternately, you can launch the macOS Control Center by clicking on its icon.
Control Center
From the Control Center, you can disable and re-enable Bluetooth and WiFi.
That should get everything working as it should. Once you have any glitches worked out, check out this article on how to use Universal Clipboard.
There are times when it interferes with your browsing.
When you are in a website with a graphic that includes a graphic link with text in it and you try to click on it, you get the text because Live Text is acting instead of the link that you wanted. Very annoying!
It took me a while to figure out this problem and the solution but it turns out to be easy:
Open System Preferences
Select "Language & Region"
Deselect "Live Text" (in red below)
Note that this turns off Live Text for all applications. I have contacted Apple with a request to be able to turn it off ONLY for Safari. Will they listen?
iPhone and iPad
The procedure is very similar:
Open Settings
Select "General"
Select "Language & Region"
Deselect "Live Text" (in red below)
How to Screen Share on FaceTime in iOS 15 Using SharePlay
by Justin Meyers, gadgethacks
Apple's hottest new FaceTime feature, SharePlay, comes packed with sharing options, and the biggest one lets you share your device's screen with the people you're FaceTiming. It didn't make it in time for the big iOS 15 release, but it did arrive in iOS 15.1, released Oct. 25, and here's how it works.
Whether it's just one other FaceTime user or many, SharePlay's screen-sharing tool gives you the power to share anything you want with them. It could be photos of your family, videos of friends, important webpages, and any app on your iPhone or iPad. That means you can finally show your less tech-savvy relatives how to fix settings they messed up on their devices. You can even share music alone.
Video and audio sync between FaceTime users, so if somebody pauses, rewinds, fast-forwards, or skips, it happens for everybody. That takes all the weight off the person who initiated the video or audio and makes it a smoother experience.
How to translate text in images using Live Text in iOS 15
by Killian Bell, cultofmac
Live Text in iOS and iPadOS 15 is a terrific new feature that makes the text in your photos interactive. You can use it to copy and paste quotes, call phone numbers, find addresses and more.
Here's how to use Live Text on your iPhone or iPad to translate signs, posters, and other things written in a foreign language.
There are other ways to translate foreign text on iOS and iPadOS, and some of them, like Google Translate, are more useful in situations where you want real-time translation. But Live Text, which is baked right into the Photos app, may come in handy elsewhere.
Let's say you're on vacation in Mexico and someone sends you an image of the menu for the restaurant you're eating at that night, and it's written entirely in Spanish. You can use Live Text in Photos to translate the text in an instant, without having to import the image into another app.
Translate text using Live Text in iOS 15
To translate text using Live Text, first open the image you want to use inside the Photos app, then follow these steps:
Tap and hold your finger on a word within the image.
Use the selection tool that appears to highlight all the text you want to translate.
When you lift your finger off the screen, the text action bar will appear. Tap the right arrow to reveal more options, then tap Translate.
Tap the right arrow to find the Translate button.
Once your text has been translated, you can copy it, translate it again into another language, and add the translation to your favorites inside the Translate app.
Those with the recently-released AirPods 3 can get a now firmware update for these in-ear headphones. Too bad we don't know what's in it.
The AirPods update process is indirect, but we can steer you through it.
Get your AirPods 3 firmware update while its hot
AirPods aren't a "set it and forget it" product. Apple periodically releases firmware updates. It doesn't announce these. And we generally don't know what's changed because Apple doesn't make release notes available for this type of update. That's what happened on Tuesday.
There's a new software version for AirPods 3 and only this model. It can be updated to version 4C170. At this point, all other AirPods versions remain on 4C165.
Apple hasn't announced any new features for these truly wireless headphones that haven't already arrived so 4C170 is apparently just a bug fix update. Especially as it replaces 4C165 — that's not a big change in the version number.
How to update AirPods 3 to 4C170
AirPods updates happen on the down-low. You can't tell them to update. And Apple's wireless earbuds don't make it easy for you to know if a new firmware version has been installed.
The best you can do to request an update is put your AirPods in their case, with the case getting power. And the iPhone that they are paired with needs to be close by. Then wait.
Realistically, this is a problem only for people who get antsy about controlling firmware updates, and who want the latest as soon as they can get it. For everyone else, just keep using your AirPods. The update will happen without you having to do a thing.
Find out if new AirPods firmware is installed
You can find out if/when a new AirPods firmware update has been installed only by digging around in the Settings app. To do this, you need an active connection to the headphones, so open the lid of the charging case. Or put the earbuds on. Whichever you prefer.
Go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap in the blue i with a circle around it next to the name of your AirPods. If Version says 4C170 on AirPods 3, you're golden. On all other models, the most recent version is 4C165.
Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article first published on November 14, 2019, and updated periodically since then with successive new AirPods firmware versions.
Whether you've got an older iPhone with a worn-down battery or have a newer one that isn't lasting as long as you'd hope, there are a number of ways to improve battery performance. Follow along for a look at 7 tips and tricks to extend iPhone battery life.
If you find you'd rather not change many (or any) of the settings, another option is to just pick up a battery case or portable power bank or look into replacing your battery or upgrading your iPhone.
Apple's iPhone 12 MagSafe Battery Pack vs. alternatives from Anker and Mophie
One more consideration: While wireless charging is convenient with modern iPhones, wired charging juices them up much faster, up to 50% in 30 minutes.
Apple sets next Apple Watch Activity Challenges for February with exclusive awards
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
Apple has set its next two Apple Watch Activity Challenges for next month, including one for Lunar New Year as well as Black History Month. Head below for the details on how to partake in these challenges, which can unlock special badges and achievements in the Fitness app.
First off, Apple will hold an Apple Watch Activity Challenge for Lunar New Year from February 1 through February 15. The company explains:
Balance this season of relaxation with a little exercise. Do any workout for at least 20 minutes between February 1 and 15 to get this award. Record your workout with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health.
The Lunar New Year Challenge will likely only be available in China and other east Asian countries. Apple has previously made other Apple Watch Activity Challenges available exclusively in China as well.
Secondly, in the United States and other countries, Apple will hold its annual Unity Challenge from February 7 through February 28.
This month, let's honor Black history and look forward to our future together. Earn this Unity award by closing your Move ring seven days in a row during February.
Apple Watch Activity Challenges are meant to promote using the watch for fitness and act as a way for Apple to guide users into taking advantage of the workout tracking features. Completing the challenge with any workout app that logs data to Apple's Fitness app will unlock the virtual achievement on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and in Apple's Messages app.
You can also complete the challenge using Apple Fitness+, which is Apple's own workouts service that offers a variety of different categories of content as well as Time To Walk workouts and Time to Run workouts.
New to HomePod or just unsure what to do with it? Try these useful voice commands
by Zac Hall, 9to5mac
I've owned a HomePod since the original $349 speaker arrived in Apple Stores four years ago. However, a lot has changed since 2018, including the demise of that smart speaker in favor of the more affordable HomePod mini.
No matter which HomePod you have, it's easy to forget what all it can do since it's primarily controlled by voice. You're likely to learn something new by periodically checking what HomePod can do with voice control.
Ambient sounds
Something I regularly do is use my bedroom HomePod mini to play ambient sounds while falling asleep at night. These first two choices are my go-to requests, but that's partly because I haven't committed the others to memory yet:
Ocean
Rain
Night
Forest
Fireplace
Stream
White noise
If you've never tried ambient sounds on HomePod or you're like me and have only used a couple, give each of these a shot to learn what you like most when you need to focus or fall asleep.
Speaker combinations
Using voice commands to control what's playing where and how is also something that's more capable than what I've been using over the years. I use the first request all the time, but moving audio around is a useful command I'm not sure I knew:
Play everywhere
Move this to [another room]
Play this in [first room] and [second room]
Add [additional room] or play music from [first room] here
Stop playing in [first room] and [second room]
Lower the volume in [another room]
And more
Finally, there are many more supported commands that Siri can understand on HomePod. These are some that I'll try to remember now:
Stop playing [music, podcasts, etc.] in one hour
Play the other version (for songs recorded by different artists)
Play [genre] from [decade]
Give me the news
Subscribe to this podcast
Play this podcast faster, slower, or normal speed
Have your own frequently used Siri commands on HomePod that aren't as common as general music commands? Share your favorites in the comments, and learn more here.
Hands-on with the special edition Apple Watch Black Unity Braided Solo Loop
by Chance Miller, 9to5ma
Last week, Apple unveiled a new limited-edition Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch in honor of Black History Month. This band is now available via Apple Stores and the first orders are arriving to buyers. Head below for a closer look at Apple's latest Braided Solo Loop…
9to5Mac's Take: Black Unity Braided Solo Loop
Here's how Apple describes the new Black Unity Braided Solo Loop for Apple Watch:
Designed by Black creatives and allies at Apple to celebrate Black history and culture, the Black Unity Braided Solo Loop is inspired by Afrofuturism, a philosophy that explores the experience of the African Diaspora through a narrative of science, technology, and self-empowerment. It honors generations of Black people who have been seen and unseen, and symbolizes the necessity for a more equitable world.
Featuring the colors of the Pan-African flag, the band is created by weaving 16,000 recycled polyester yarn filaments around ultrathin silicone threads using advanced precision-braiding machinery, then laser-cutting the band to an exact length for a custom fit. It offers a soft, textured feel and is both sweat and water resistant. The band is complemented by the Unity Lights watch face, with clock hands emitting light that changes dynamically throughout the day. The lugs are laser-etched with "Black Unity".
Any one bothered by internet criminal activity should report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at this web page. This includes phishing, malware, spoofing, any demand for money.
I've talked about iCloud in the past, so some of you have a good idea how it works, but some of you still don't since I get plenty of questions about it. I'll try to explain iCloud with an overall description, with some details of functions, and impart intuitive understanding! (If only I could)
iCloud is Apple's cloud service. All the big tech companies have cloud services and it's a become a major service industry. Why? Because it's convenient for customers and offers revenue for businesses.
Overall cloud services are simply data storage connected to the internet. First of all, cloud services offer automatic backup service for your data. Apple's iCloud does that, but one of its' main functions is to synchronizes your data between your devices. So if you add or delete a photo or an email address on your Mac it will synchronize with your iPhone and iPad if you have iCloud turned on for those devices. Otherwise, when removing an old email address, you would have to remove it from each device separately.
That was easy wasn't it? However, there are quite a few options for what you can choose to synchronize. Each option in the iCloud preferences can be turned on or off for each device. As of the Monterey operating system there are 16 primary options and 23 separate options for iCloud Drive. Now I know that just threw you off and you're holding your head from exploding. But just hang in there a minute.
iCloud versus iCloud Drive. iCloud Drive is one option that simply offers a cloud folder for you to use for anything. It works like any folder on your Mac but its' contents are stored in iCloud. I use it and it's very handy. Everything you put in the iCloud Drive folder can be accessed on your other devices. However, they did add a lot of options to iCloud Drive settings that you can turn off, and actually you should turn off unless you have a very small storage drive on your computer. The big items with iCloud Drive is that it puts your Desktop items and your Documents folder into the cloud, which, as I mentioned, is good if you have a small storage drive on your computer, or if you just want to be able to share all that data with your other devices.
The iCloud options do have to be set on each device to your preference. For example, if you want your contacts to synchronize between your iPhone and your Mac computer but not your iPad, then you turn the iCloud Contacts option on for those two devices and not in the iPad settings.
Another option is for photos. The iCloud option for photos has been moved to the Photos app itself starting with the Monterey operating system. You can turn on iCloud Photos Library to synchronize (and basically backup) all your photos or you can choose "My Photo Stream" option. The Photo Stream option will send photos you import or take via your iPhone, to your iCloud Photos but only for the last thirty days. If this is turned on for more than one device though, they will go to that device and be saved without filling up your iCloud account. Be aware that your photos will not all be backed up with this choice unless you select iCloud Photo Library and My Photo Stream. By the way, you also have an option to turn on "Shared Albums." It's for creating albums that you can invite others to view selected photos. ( Others have to have an Apple account to participate, but, of course, there is an option for a public album.)
Photos take up the most amount of space for most people, so the 5GB of free iCloud space you get fills up and then you are warned that you need to purchase more cloud space. It's not expensive though, $1 a month for 50GB. You should know also that the "My Photo Stream" option doesn't count toward your 5Gb iCloud space. It's complimentary.
So I hope your head has not exploded yet. Let's recap.
Each device has iCloud settings to check.
Apples iCloud is used to synchronize data between devices as well as backup data, though it is not designed to backup everything.
iCloud Drive is an iCloud option that gives you a cloud based folder that you can use for anything to share with your other devices. It shows in the left side of your Finder window on your Mac and shows as an icon named "Files" on your iPhone and iPad.
You get 5Gb free space, 50Gb for $0.99 a month and 200GB is $2.99, 2TB for $9.99. Most iCloud data is on your Mac and in the cloud if you have enough storage space. If you do not have internet service you may not be able to view some of the data. And be aware that data may not upload immediately, particularly photos. When you first turn on iCloud for photos it may take days to upload your entire library.
If you use other cloud storage, be aware that each account uses your internet to sync data and with more than one connection may cause slow downs. Other cloud storage and service businesses include Microsoft (MS One Drive), Adobe Creative Cloud, Carbonite, and many others. Some people who use Microsoft Office may be using their cloud service without realizing it. Same with Adobe apps.
Any cloud storage service add the risk of data becoming compromised. However, all data in Apple iCloud is encrypted with the same standard that banks use. Some data is also encrypted in transit. So you'll have to decide whether the convenience is worth the minimal risk and be selective what you choose to upload.
If you decide to turn off iCloud for some options it will delete your data from the cloud and should ask you if you want it preserved on your device. Also, revisit your iCloud settings after major operating system updates. Apple has a way of turning things on without asking. Remember that you can still use those apps that you turn off for iCloud, it just won't store the data in the cloud for them.
You can breathe normally now. Come back to this article when you're ready to check all your settings.
This is a quick tip when looking for a new Mac. You can go to the Apple website to view the options. Just click on the Mac you are thinking about and look over the specs. It's easy to then click on the "Buy" button and see what options are available for the Mac you chose. You'll see the cost for each option and can see the total cost without committing to buy.
One of the most important options is the storage space. Look at your current Mac to see how much data you have. To do that, just click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen and select "About this Mac." Then click on the tab that says "Storage." You'll see how large your existing storage drive is and how much of it you've used. Make sure you order your new Mac with enough storage space for all your data and a bunch extra because you know your data will grow.
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MAGIC, the Macintosh Appreciation Group of Island County, serves people who use Macintosh computers, software and peripherals. Our goal is to share information and get answers to questions to make us more productive with our use of technology. Our monthly meetings give us a chance to discuss computer problems and share ideas with other Mac users, feature speakers on specific topics, and to keep apprised of Apple news.
