Apple has expanded iCloud over the years to include more and more services, like iCloud Photo Library, Apple Music, iCloud Drive and iCloud Keychain. It can be difficult to get your head around everything that makes up iCloud. Here is a handy infographic that ties it all together and explains each service. Click it to view larger, or download it!
Update: Here is a 2022 version I have been working on. Not completely pleased with it, so I’ll leave the one one below. If you want to see the 2022 version, view it here.
Want to learn more about iCloud? Here are some links to MacMost video tutorials:
How To Free Up Space On iCloud Drive
How To Share Files and Folders With Anyone Using iCloud Drive
Be Careful Using Hide My Email Everywhere
Linking To Notes and Documents on Your Mac
5 Ways To Download All Of Your iCloud Photos
What Happens When You Turn Off Desktop & Documents Folders for iCloud Drive?
Accessing Your iCloud Data in a Web Browser
How To Use the New iCloud Shared Photo Library
How Time Machine Backups Work When using iCloud
iCloud Drive With or Without Desktop & Documents Folders
10 Strategies for Dealing With a Small Hard Drive
Storing Files Locally When Using iCloud Drive
How To Share Files Using iCloud
How To Manage iCloud Storage On a Mac
Sharing Photos Online From Your Mac
10 Mac Tips And Tricks For College Students
Collaborating With Shared iCloud Drive Folders
iCloud Is Not a Substitute For a Time Machine Backup With Your Mac
Using iCloud Drive Shared Folders in macOS Catalina
Why You Should Use iCloud Email Rules And Not Mail Rules On Your Mac
10 Tips To Get the Most From iCloud
New Course: The Guide to iCloud
How To Customize Your iPhone iCloud Backup
Using and Customizing iPhone iCloud Backup
Collaborating With Others Using Pages
How To Change Your Apple ID Email Address
Web Browsing Between Devices With iCloud Tabs
Understanding iCloud Drive and the Optimize Mac Storage Option
iCloud Drive Public File Sharing
Storing Local Documents When Using iCloud Drive
Recover Deleted iCloud Drive Files
Use iCloud.com On an iPad or iPhone
New iCloud Drive Options in macOS Sierra
Recovering Deleted Files From iCloud Drive
Using the iCloud Drive App
Using the iCloud Photo Library
Shared Family Calendars
What Is iCloud?
Access Your iCloud Drive Files On the Web
iCloud Drive Files and Backups
Using iCloud Drive
MacMost Now 907: Using iCloud Email Filters
MacMost Now 844: Apple ID Two-Step Verification
MacMost Now 835: Understanding Cloud Syncing
MacMost Now 746: Securing Your iCloud Account
MacMost Now 740: Mountain Lion iCloud Documents
MacMost Now 723: Using the iCloud.com Web Site
MacMost Now 683: Journals In iPhoto For iOS
MacMost Now 674: Sharing Calendars With iCloud
MacMost Now 620: iCloud Reminders for Mac and iOS
MacMost Now 619: iCloud Basics
Thanks Gary, it has been printed and will go up in our Computer Lab. What a help the graphics will be!
Hi Gary
iTunes Match is referred to as an old system. I only use it for my record collection, and wonder what you mean. I have no use for the Radio-part. Do you think I should find another place for my music? Or what have you in mind, when you refer to the service as old?
Regards Jan
Jan: If you have Apple Music, you really don't need iTunes Match. Apple Music will match your music in a similar way. It isn't exactly the same, but very close. I don't foresee Apple continuing to offer iTunes Match because of that.
Can I use Apple Music as a cloud backup for my music? Just as I can with iTunes Match?
Jan: I wouldn't say that either option is a good "backup." But it really depends on where the music came from in the first place: iTunes purchases? Ripped CDs? Other download services? If ripped CDs, I would just back up as normal data files. It really depends on that and how irreplaceable the music really is.