Using The iCloud Web Apps

Does anyone really use Apple’s iCloud web apps in a browser? Well, I do! Besides using the default apps on my iPhone, I use iCloud a lot since I don’t have a Mac or iPad (for now). Apple’s web apps, albeit simplified, work soundly in both Microsoft’s Edge and Google’s Chrome browsers. Go figure.

Apple’s computing philosophy is to use native apps on-device. The “cloud” is only meant to sync your data between your devices, working auto-magically in the background. It’s more of a process than a place. Yet you can access most of your stuff via your modern browser of choice.

Altogether, there are twelve (12) iCloud web apps to use at one convenient web site:

1. Mail
2. Calendar
3. Contacts
4. Reminders
5. Notes
6. Pages
7. Numbers
8. Keynote
9. iCloud Drive
10. Photos
11. Find Friends
12. Find iPhone

To make these web-based apps work more like native ones, I like to create a browser shortcut with an icon on my taskbar. But I’ve found all the icons across the apps are the same: a gray Apple logo. The lack of differentiation isn’t helpful, so I just have one shortcut for all of iCloud.com.

In the middle of my Chromebook’s taskbar is the Apple logo!

The iCloud.com web interface is typical of Apple: clean, simple, and organized. The features within each app are somewhat limited to the basics. But that is kind of a feature in itself; it’s by design. Keep it simple. Use just what you need. For the most part, I find they get the job done.

I rely on the Notes app, for example. It does a noteworthy job! (I had to that.) With folders and sub-folders crammed full of notes, they always sync between my iPhone and iCloud.com without problems. I think I’ve seen only a couple random hiccups here or there over the years. Overall, I trust my data is stable. And, yes, also secure.

If you have never given the iCloud.com website a chance, I think you’ll be surprised by what it offers.

Of course, if you already have multiple Apple devices and thus no need to ever look at iCloud in a browser, then you should already know how reliable it is. Why? Because it’s more than a website; it’s the service keeping all your on-device data up to date.

Now, I will mention a sore spot for many. Apple gives you 5GB of free data storage on iCloud. Free is good, thank you! But 5 gigabytes isn’t enough for storing photos. I subscribe to one of Apple’s larger storage plans, which I think are good values.

So what’s your experience with the iCloud site?