iCloud for Windows: What is it (and how do you use it)?

If you use both Apple and Windows devices, you should also be using iCloud for Windows. It’s an app for your Windows system that enables you to access iCloud data and features from your PC.

To get started, first download the app from Microsoft’s App Store.

Microsoft

What is Apple’s iCloud?

iCloud is an essential component across the Apple universe. It’s used to share iCloud Drive files, sync contacts, devices, and other personal data, and to provide access to a variety of Apple’s services, including key apps such as Photos and Mail. You also get access to limited collaboration and sharing features along with a powerful password manager.

Apple understands that many of its customers rely on multiple platforms for different tasks, using, for example, an iPhone and a Windows PC. It also wants to ensure all its customers have a similar experience; that’s why, when it replaced iTunes with dedicated Apple Music, Apple TV, and device management apps on its own devices, it also introduced the same software to Windows users.

It is also why the company works to make iCloud services cross-platform through the iCloud for Windows app, which is available as a free download from Microsoft’s App Store.

The x64 app requires a PC running Windows 10 18362.145 or later, or Windows 11. It was last updated in February 2024, introducing a streamlined user interface, similar to that offered on Apple devices and online at iCloud.com.

What do you get in iCloud for Windows?

Once installed on a supported Windows system, iCloud for Windows lets you access files on iCloud Drive, Photos, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks (with Outlook), and your Safari Bookmarks — you just need to login with your Apple ID.

You can also use iCloud Keychain as a password manager.

The iCloud Passwords app lets you check your account information, update it, delete it, and add new accounts — and it will automatically sync across all your iCloud devices. It will also generate rock-solid passwords and 2FA codes for you.

iCloud for Windows supports advanced imaging formats that may be of use to Apple-centric professionals. Since 2021, it’s been able to handle Apple ProRes and ProRaw formats for video and photos.

The application also lets Apple iCloud’s Windows-based customers use physical security keys to protect their Apple ID for the first time. These provide additional security, particularly for those requiring boosted protection against targeted attacks. These keys act as a hardware-based proof point and mean miscreants will find it much more difficult to access any data you have stored on iCloud.

Apple also provides additional security tools with which iCloud users can protect themselves, including Lockdown mode, Advanced Data Protection, and the already noted support for security keys. 

How iCloud files work as if they were on your PC

iCloud for Windows uses the same technology Microsoft relies on for OneDrive’s Files On-Demand feature. That means items stored in iCloud Drive will appear in Windows File Explorer, just as if they were on your PC.

Files on-demand also enables direct integration between Windows 11 and iCloud Photos from within the Windows Photos app. To use this, you must install iCloud for Windows on the PC, sign in and choose sync photos. Once set up, images stored in iCloud become natively available on your PC. 

Microsoft says that files on-demand works by storing small 1k files on your device that provide your system with a direct link to the content you have stored online. It lets you review that content and download it seamlessly with a click; in most cases, you’ll experience only a short delay while the content downloads and opens for you.

The idea is that Microsoft’s cloud files API lets third-party developers (such as, in this case, Apple) create apps that store data in the cloud in a way that merges the experience of handling online and offline data.

What can you do with iCloud for Windows?

Once installed and set-up, iCloud for Windows lets you work seamlessly across devices and platforms — making it super-easy if you use a Windows machine at work, a Mac at home, and an iPhone or iPad at other times.

It means you can:

• Access your iCloud Drive files using File Explorer.
• Download files and folders to your PC.
• Store items in iCloud Drive and access them using an iOS device, macOS or Windows system, or online at iCloud.com.
• Share and collaborate on iCloud Drive hosted files from within File Explorer; edits will be synced across all your devices.
• Create and share albums of images and videos online or see them in Windows Photos on supported systems.
• Update and manage your iCloud account.
• Store, use, and create passwords using iCloud Keychain.

There is one snag: if you use a managed Apple ID, iCloud for Windows will not be supported.

How to download and install iCloud for Windows

Installation is relatively straightforward:

First you must set up iCloud on an Apple device (Mac, iPad, iPhone), after which you must download the iCloud for Windows app to your compatible PC, install it, launch it, and then sign in with the Apple ID you created on your Apple device.

Once you are signed in, you can choose which iCloud options to use.

Is iCloud useful for enterprise pros?

Apple’s big selling point for iCloud is the security and privacy it provides, along with the ability to share and collaborate on documents and other files shared in iCloud Drive.

Enterprise pros working across both Apple and Windows platforms might want to make use of the new support for FIDO hardware keys, which help protect valuable data. That’s part of Apple’s regular security push.

For example, in one of its annual security enhancements, Apple improved iCloud with Advanced Data Protection, which encrypts almost all your iCloud data.  

As of now, every iCloud user on Windows should experience faster sync, better Outlook support and a much cleaner user interface, along with support for Dark Mode within the application.

Can I access iCloud online?

If you use a Windows PC, but cannot install iCloud for Windows, you can still access a great deal of your iCloud content and services through a standards-compliant web browser.

To do so, navigate to iCloud.com and login with your Apple ID. The recently revamped service lets you access numerous features, including Photos, Mail, iCloud Drive and Contacts. You can also use online versions of Apple’s iWork suite of productivity apps.

The result: any Windows user is only ever a few clicks away from their content, even when using a borrowed PC. Find out more about iCloud online here.

What are the system requirements for iCloud for Windows?

To use iCloud for Windows, you’ll need running Windows 10 or later (64-bit).

There are some additional software requirements for specific use:

• Using Mail, Contacts, and Calendars requires you to be running Outlook 2019 or later on your PC.
• For password management, you need to be using Chrome 100 or later, or Edge 100 or later.
• For bookmark syncing, you need Chrome 100 or later, Firefox 92 or later ,or Edge 100 or later.

Where can I find out more about iCloud?

Here are some previous reports that should help you get more from iCloud on any supporting platform:

• How to avoid paying Apple for extra iCloud storage
• Apple improves iCloud.com for better ease of use
• How Apple’s iCloud Drive works — and how to use it
• How to use Apple’s advanced iCloud security tools
• What is iCloud+ (and why should you use it)?
• The essential guide to iCloud login
• Even more useful iCloud storage tips
• How to fix iCloud when it stops working
• How and why to use Rules in iCloud Mail

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