How to get started with iCloud

Question

Level 1

6 points

How to get started with iCloud

I don't understand how to use iCloud. I recently got an iPhone 4 and I want to transfer a photo I took to my Mac computer. I don't want to use Apple's mail app. First I logged into iCloud from my settings. I then go to the photo and click the icon to send it. I select iCloud and it asks me to create a stream name. I do this, then it has a "To" field so I wasn't sure about this and I just put in my e-mail address. Then I click post and nothing happens.

I also don't know how to set up iCloud on my Mac. I went to system preferences and went to iCloud. It then shows different apps to check off if I want them to work with iCloud. I checked off Photos but nothing happens. I don't know what I am supposed to do.

Posted on Jul 14, 2014 9:15 AM

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Answer 1

Rysz

Level 8

44,391 points

Jul 14, 2014 9:26 AM in response to fantazal

Enable Photo Stream. That's the service that automatically syncs photos across your devices.

You can download an iPhone user guide as an eBook thru the iBooks app.

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Answer 2

fantazal Author

Level 1

6 points

Jul 14, 2014 9:33 AM in response to Rysz

Thanks but I still don't know where I am supposed to access iCloud. There is no app that shows up on my iPhone. Do I have to go to iCloud.com ? And I don't know where to enable Photo Stream. If I go to the settings on my iPhone and go to iCloud, under Photos it says it is already on.

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Answer 3

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Jul 14, 2014 11:09 AM in response to fantazal

iCloud is not an app, it's a service that uses the other apps on your device (mail, contacts, calendars, reminders, notes, etc.). From your post, it sounds like you added a photo to a shared stream on your device. Nothing happened when you entered your email address because as the owner of the shared stream you are automatically subscribed to it. To see the shared stream on your Mac, go to System Preferences>iCloud, make sure you are signed in with the same iCloud ID that you are using on your iOS device, then check Photos, click Options next to Photos and make sure Photo Sharing is checked. You can then see the shared stream in the iPhoto app on your Mac by selecting iCloud on the left sidebar, then clicking the shared stream under My Streams to the right.

If you enabled My Photo Stream on your iOS device and your Mac, new photos added to the camera roll on your device will automatically be added to your photo stream and will also appear in iPhoto on your Mac. You can also have these photos automatically added to your iPhoto library by going to iPhoto>Preferences>iCloud and checking Automatic Import.

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Answer 4

fantazal Author

Level 1

6 points

Jul 14, 2014 7:33 PM in response to randers4

If I understood correctly, you said that after making sure Photo Sharing is checked in System Preferences, to then open my iPhoto app and iCloud should show up on the left. However, I was not able to open my iPhoto because when I tried it said I do not have enough memory to upgrade. Still not sure how to use iCloud; if it will show up in my apps if it is connected to them, as you said it would with iPhoto.

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Answer 5

randers4

Level 9

63,519 points

Jul 14, 2014 7:45 PM in response to fantazal

You will need iPhoto '11 (which in turn requires OS X Mavericks) to view shared photo streams in iPhoto. If your system doesn't support these, you'll need to ask the owner of the shared stream to enable the Public Website option and send you the link. This will give you a link that you can use to view them on the web from you browser.

You can use other features of iCloud with OS X Lion (10.7.5 or higher). More details here: System requirements for iCloud.

You might find this helpful to explain iCloud's features and how to use them: http://help.apple.com/icloud/.

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