(Credit: Apple)
iCloud has long been Apple’s online service for backing up, syncing, and sharing your online files. In 2021, Apple unveiled iCloud+, 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.
These additions include Private Relay, Hide My Email, Custom Email Domain, and HomeKit Secure Video. 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.
iCloud vs. iCloud+ vs. iCloud Drive
Apple’s use of the term iCloud to describe a variety of apps and services is confusing, so what's the difference between iCloud, iCloud+, and iCloud Drive?
iCloud refers to the standard file backup and syncing service that includes 5GB of online storage for free. You’re able to back up and synchronize your photos, email, contacts, calendars, notes, reminders, messages, and other content online.
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iCloud+ is the paid upgrade available at tiers of 50GB, 200GB, 2TB, 6TB, and 12TB, plus several enhanced features not included in the free plan.
Meanwhile, Apple’s online storage site is called iCloud Drive, which is where your backed up and synced content resides. You can also upload, download, and share files directly from the iCloud Drive website.
What Comes With iCloud+?
As previously mentioned, iCloud+ is more than just extra storage. As long as you pay for one of the five premium tiers, you also get the following features available right from your Apple devices:
Private Relay: This is Apple’s take on a VPN aimed at keeping your internet activities private and protected when using Safari. However, it differs from traditional VPN services by replacing your IP address with one from a range of anonymous addresses based on your general region. Your internet traffic is sent through two separate hops, or relays, by two separate companies, so no single entity (not even Apple) can monitor your online activity.
Hide My Email: This feature is an improved version of the existing Sign in with Apple feature that lets you use an anonymous Apple ID to register with certain apps and websites. Whereas Sign in with Apple works only with supported apps and websites, Hide My Email allows you to use a random email address for any website or online form to cut down on spam.
Custom Email Domain: Designed for anyone who already has their own personal domain name, Custom Email Domain allows you to send and receive iCloud Mail using your own domain name instead of an icloud.com address. iCloud Mail supports as many as five personal domains with up to three email addresses per domain.
HomeKit Secure Video: iCloud+ also has more options for those who use HomeKit Secure Video. You can get 50GB of iCloud storage and support for recording video from one HomeKit Secure Video camera, 200GB of storage and support for up to five HomeKit Secure Video cameras, or 2TB of iCloud storage and support for unlimited HomeKit Secure Video cameras.
How Do I Get iCloud+?
Don’t know which subscription tier you have? You can check your plan or upgrade to a paid version on your iPhone or iPad. Go to Settings, tap your name, then open iCloud. If the Storage section at the top says iCloud+, you’re good to go. If it says iCloud, then you’re on the free plan.
To purchase an iCloud+ subscription or upgrade your current plan, tap Manage Account Storage under the iCloud storage graph, then select the Change Storage Plan option.
Choose one of the available plans—50GB for 99 cents per month, 200GB for $2.99, 2TB for $9.99, 6TB for $29.99, or 12TB for $59.99. Tap Buy to purchase and activate the new plan. iCloud+ is also included with all three Apple One subscriptions.
How to Set Up iCloud Private Relay
To enable iCloud Private Relay on your iPhone or iPad, open Settings, click your name, then go to iCloud > Private Relay. Turn on the switch next to Private Relay. From there, tap the IP Address Location option. Here, you’ll find two choices:
Maintain General Location: Tap this option to use an IP address based on your overall location so that you can still see local content when you use Safari.
Country and Time Zone: Choose this option to use an address based on a much larger and broader location derived from your country and time zone.
You can now browse the web via Safari. Everything should work normally as long as the site supports Private Relay. Websites that don’t work properly may show content for the wrong region, saddle you with an extra step for logging in, or not work at all.
If you run into trouble with Private Relay or want to turn it off, you can disable the feature completely or just for certain networks. To turn it off, return to the iCloud > Private Relay settings page and disable the Private Relay switch.
To turn the feature off for certain Wi-Fi networks, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the Info icon next to a specific Wi-Fi network. Turn off the switch next to Limit IP Address Tracking. Turning off this feature will also turn off iCloud Private Relay.
You can also turn off Private Relay for any cellular connection. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options and turn off the switch next to Limit IP Address Tracking.
How to Set Up Hide My Email
To use the Hide My Email feature, go to Settings, tap your name, and then head to iCloud > Hide My Email. You can also go to your iCloud settings page and select the Manage button for Hide My Email.
The Hide My Email page will show any random addresses you’ve already used with the Sign in with Apple feature. Tap an address that you wish to use again as a way to hide your real email address and then confirm that it’s forwarding to your actual email address.
You can also tap Create New Address to generate a new email. A new random address will automatically be generated with the icloud.com domain name. If you’re okay with the address, tap Continue. Otherwise, choose Use Different Address and another address will be created.
Once an address is selected, you can then enter a label and a note to help you remember this address. Tap Next and then tap Done at the All Set screen. Now the next time you need to create an online account or fill out a form, you can enter this random address.
Any emails sent to this account will be forwarded to your actual address. However, you can deactivate the address if you’re receiving too many unwanted messages. Just go back to the iCloud > Hide My Email settings, select the random address, then tap Deactivate Email address. Tap Deactivate to confirm your request.
How to Set Up a Custom Email Domain
You can set up a custom email domain from your iPhone or iPad if you open Settings, tap your name, and then go to iCloud > Custom Email Domain. Tap Continue, then choose Add a Domain You Own if you already pay for a domain or Buy a New Domain if you need to purchase one.
Do you already own a domain? You'll be asked to decide who will be using it. Tap Only You if you’ll be the only person using email on it and You and Other People if multiple people will use it.
Next, tap Existing email addresses if you have any email addresses on your domain that you want to use with iCloud Mail. Otherwise, tap No email addresses. Enter your domain name and follow the next steps to set up your iCloud Mail domain.
If you instead chose to buy a new domain, search for the domain name you wish to use, then select the option you want. You may need to try multiple domains until you find one that hasn't already been taken. Purchase the domain and then follow the directions to set up your iCloud Mail domain.
You must also update the records with your domain registrar. You can then verify that your domain and addresses have been set up with iCloud Mail.
Share Your iCloud Plan With Family Members
Your iCloud+ subscription and benefits can be shared with other family members through Family Sharing. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings and tap your name, then open iCloud > Manage Account Storage > Share with Family. Tap Share Storage Plan and then select Send Invitation to compose a message that will be sent out to your family members.
As each person accepts the invitation, they’re added to your iCloud family. After your family members have joined, tap Family Usage at your Account Storage screen to see how much space each person is using to back up and store their data. Here, you can also choose to stop sharing your iCloud+ plan with your family.
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