Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Amazon Prime Day
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • Best web hosting
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop

Recommended reading

A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
iOS iCloud was down – Here's everything we know about issues with Apple's web apps, Photos, and more
A person using a smartphone and laptop.
Windows Got a Windows 11 PC and an Android phone? Microsoft wants to make using apps across those devices a seamless experience
Cloud storage apps on phones.
Pro The best free cloud storage 2025
an image of an iPhone 16 Pro Max on a black table showing the Passwords app
iPhone My favorite iOS 18 app is a tool you're probably not using – and I suggest you try it right away
Windows 365
Pro Microsoft has a brand-new service aimed at saving all your files from disastrous cloud drop-out
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
Macs You can now set up your new Mac with an iPhone or iPad, and it might just be the best new time-saver
Apple MacOS Tahoe
macOS macOS Tahoe 26 finally adds a much-needed feature that means I may never use Windows 11 again
  1. Computing
  2. Cloud Computing

How to use iCloud storage on Windows PCs

How-to
By Ian Evenden published 26 April 2016

iCloud for Windows

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Set up iCloud on your PC

Set up iCloud on your PC

Most iPhone users will have been nagged into setting up an iCloud account during the set-up process. As Apple's cloud storage service, iCloud is often looked on as a rival to Dropbox or Google Drive, but it actually functions differently from both of those systems.

Many Apple apps, such as Pages or Numbers, can store their documents in iCloud by default. This is no use to a Windows user, as those apps won't run on your PC, but if your iPhone is set up to back up the photos it takes to iCloud, this can be a good way of getting the images onto your computer.

You can sync contacts and calendar events too. iCloud doesn't replace iTunes if you're using it to take back-ups of your mobile device, so you'll need to keep both installed on your PC.

  • If you're on a Mac, check out our guide on how to Master iCloud Drive
Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of 9
1. Install on a PC

1. Install on a PC

Getting iCloud installed on your Windows PC is straightforward. Go to the iCloud website, then click 'Setup Instructions' in the top corner.

This will take you to a site that will talk you through iCloud installation on an iOS device, an Apple Mac computer and a Windows PC. Apple lists Windows 10 only in its system requirements, but says it works on Windows 7 or later elsewhere.

Page 2 of 9
Page 2 of 9
2. Sign in

2. Sign in

Click the download link and a setup file will download to your PC. Run this, and it will install the software. Your PC will require a restart once the installation has finished.

When it's running again, you'll see a window on the screen asking you to sign in with your Apple ID, which you should have set up when you began using your iPhone or iPad.

Page 3 of 9
Page 3 of 9
3. Choose your options

3. Choose your options

Once signed in, you'll be asked to make choices about what is synced to your PC. The first option is iCloud Drive, which works a little bit like Dropbox.

It creates an iCloud Drive folder in your User folder, and anything that's moved into that folder is synced with your other devices and with icloud.com, as long as you're signed into all of them with the same account.

Page 4 of 9
Page 4 of 9
4. Photos backups

4. Photos backups

iCloud will create an iCloud Photos folder in your Pictures folder, which contains an Upload and a Download folder. Any photos you take on your iPhone or iPad will appear in the Download folder, while anything you want to send to the device needs to be copied to the Upload folder.

The locations of these folders can be changed if you prefer.

Page 5 of 9
Page 5 of 9
5. Bookmarks syncing

5. Bookmarks syncing

Bookmarks is a neat way of syncing bookmarked websites between your mobile and PC. Chrome can already do this, but many prefer to use Apple's Safari browser on an iPhone.

To sync your bookmarks between a desktop browser and mobile Safari, click 'Option by Bookmarks', then select your browser – if it needs to a browser plugin, you'll be directed to the plugin's page.

Page 6 of 9
Page 6 of 9
6. Apps in a browser

6. Apps in a browser

You can't run Apple's desktop office apps on your Windows machine, but you can use your browser to use them on iCloud in a similar way to Google Docs. Open the website, sign in with your Apple ID, and you'll find web versions of Page, Numbers and Keynote.

Any documents you create will be stored in iCloud Drive and can be edited offline when you move back to your Mac.

Page 7 of 9
Page 7 of 9
7. Extra storage

7. Extra storage

Apple gives you 5GB of space for free, and you can upgrade this to 200GB for £2.49 (US$2.99, AU$4.49) a month. Right-click the iCloud icon, then select 'Open iCloud Settings'. In the window that pops up, click 'Storage'.

This lets you see how much space is taken up by each type of document, including the save files for any games you play on your iPhone. Clear out the files here or click 'Buy More Storage'.

Page 8 of 9
Page 8 of 9
8. Outlook problems

8. Outlook problems

If you use an iCloud email address, you can sync it with Outlook on your PC. If you're having trouble syncing your mail, a workaround can be to use the built-in Windows 10 Mail app instead, which seems to have fewer problem syncing mail and calendar entries.

Many people have asked for compatibility with the latest version of Outlook, and hopefully a fix is on its way.

  • Enjoyed this article? Discover how to get the most from your PC and new things to do in Windows Help & Advice. Take advantage of an exclusive offer in our sampler today.
Page 9 of 9
Page 9 of 9
TOPICS
iCloud Apple
Ian Evenden
See more Computing How Tos
Read more
A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
iCloud was down – Here's everything we know about issues with Apple's web apps, Photos, and more
A person using a smartphone and laptop.
Got a Windows 11 PC and an Android phone? Microsoft wants to make using apps across those devices a seamless experience
Cloud storage apps on phones.
The best free cloud storage 2025
an image of an iPhone 16 Pro Max on a black table showing the Passwords app
My favorite iOS 18 app is a tool you're probably not using – and I suggest you try it right away
Windows 365
Microsoft has a brand-new service aimed at saving all your files from disastrous cloud drop-out
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) REVIEW
You can now set up your new Mac with an iPhone or iPad, and it might just be the best new time-saver
Latest in Cloud Computing
The Nextcloud hub logo on an aqua-blue background
Update: Google backs down and restores Nextcloud app permission after block on full file upload
A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
Apple tipped to give us new ‘Confetti’ iCloud feature, but we’re still stuck with a measly 5GB storage
A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
Apple hit by huge iCloud 'lock in' lawsuit that accuses it of 'rip-off prices'
PC Gamer looking happy
Nvidia’s GeForce Now Priority membership has upgraded to ‘Performance’ - introducing a 1440p resolution and ultrawide support
Two phones on a pink and purple background showing the Google Photos app
Google Photos is rolling out AI-powered search now – and it could be its biggest upgrade in years
Two phones on a pink and purple background showing the Google Photos app
Google Photos gets a massive search upgrade – and opens its waitlist for Black Mirror-style ‘Ask Photos’ feature
Latest in How Tos
A woman dances on a friend's shoulders at the Glastonbury Festival held at Worthy Farm, in Pilton, Somerset on June 29 near Glastonbury, England. The festival, founded in 1970, has grown into one of the largest outdoor green field festivals in the world.(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
How to watch Glastonbury on BBC iPlayer (it's FREE)
Max Verstappen leads the pack at the beginning of the 2024 Austrian GP.
How to watch Austrian Grand Prix F1 on ORF On today (it's free)
Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their face off for their fight on 28 July.
How to watch Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr live on DAZN tonight – best PPV prices, start time
Sione Katoa of the Sharks scores a try during the NRL Preliminary Final match between the Penrith Panthers and the Cronulla Sharks
NRL Premiership live stream 2025: how to watch rugby online, FREE options, streaming guide
Maro Itoje in training for British & Irish Lions
Western Force vs Lions FREE streams: How to watch British & Irish Lions tour live online from anywhere now
Olivia Rodrigo performs at her Guts World Tour
How to watch Sunday at Glastonbury: live stream the 2025 festival – ft. The Prodigy, Olivia Rodrigo & Noah Kahan
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    I tried to make an immersive smart lighting gaming desk setup and failed horribly – here's why
  2. 2
    This app got my kids off YouTube and into learning through play
  3. 3
    Aura Triple Aero 15.6in Pro Max 3-screen portable monitor review
  4. 4
    Forget the S10 - save $400 on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra instead
  5. 5
    My June 2025 streaming picks: 9 of my favorite movies and shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...