With the recent release of the iPhone 8, there are a lot of features to be excited about. The camera's megapixels are enhanced, wireless charging is now a thing, and the advanced waterproof protection offers peace of mind.
But once you're activated, it's possible that some of your photos, music, or contacts weren't restored from your iCloud account. Wondering why? Let’s take a minute to go over some iCloud basics, gain a better understanding of how the “cloud” really works, and discover what you can do to avoid losing any information in the future.
How it works
iCloud is Apple’s brainchild, a wireless service that keeps all of the information between your devices in sync. If the photos from your last vacation are uploaded to your computer or iPad at home, you can access them from your phone if those devices are connected to iCloud. Plus, you’re always up to date because iCloud syncs information from your calendar, mail, bookmarks, notes, and reminders. It’s kind of like being able to open the junk drawer in your house from anywhere in the world.
Where your information goes
When your device is connected to iCloud, your information is automatically uploaded to a remote server. iCloud’s server acts as a temporary storage facility that you’re able to access on any of your devices, at any time, no matter where you are.
Need a bigger junk drawer? 100 MB of shared data is automatically included when you sign up for Xfinity Mobile, so your devices can sync at lightning-fast speeds on the most reliable 4G LTE network. Online servers are great in a pinch, because even if you drop your phone, you can still access your iCloud account from another device and retrieve your information.
Protect your music, photos and contacts
The most common misconception about the iCloud service is that the auto-sync function additionally backs up your information; but this is not the case. If you decide to delete pictures from your phone to make some room, you’re also deleting them off your computer, iPad, or any device connected to your iCloud account. Not having to manually sync or upload your information is great, but it’s really important to always pay attention to what you’re deleting, as it could be lost forever.
Back up now, so you can restore later
Before backing up your information, you’ll need to connect to WiFi. Enjoy access to Xfinity Mobile’s millions of hotspots nationwide, so it’s easier than ever to use WiFi on the go. Once you’re connected, you can back up and restore your information without having to connect to a computer. For an added layer of security, use iCloud Drive to store and share all of your information without sending attachments or making duplicates.
Know your data options
Do you use your iPhone for everything? If your phone also acts as your computer, camera, and entertainment system, you may be concerned about how much data you're using. Uploading and accessing information from the iCloud can use up a lot of your data, so you’ll need to find a reliable data option that works best for you.
Not an Apple user? No worries
With Web-only access, you can still create an account or sign in to iCloud.com to share information on Keynote, Pages, and Numbers without needing an Apple device. Xfinity Mobile offers the latest Samsung devices with tons of available storage for presentations and documents. Web-only access to iCloud also comes with 1 GB of free storage, but you’ll need an actual Apple device to upgrade.
Xfinity Mobile offers reliable data options and the latest devices on a network that combines the nation's largest, most reliable 4G LTE with access to the most WiFi hotspots, so you can fully utilize iCloud service. Indeed, there are plenty of steps that you can take to ensure that your most valuable information is never really gone forever.
