Messages in iCloud: Everything you need to know
Almost a year after it was originally announced Apple has released Messages in iCloud as part of its iOS 11.4 software update available now for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users.
Messages in iCloud is a new feature that helps sync all your messages across your Apple devices. For example, with Messages in iCloud when you delete a message, photo or conversation on one device, it is automatically removed from all of them, and when you set-up a new Apple device all your previous Messages are pulled down from iCloud and are ready where you left off.
With Messages in iCloud your conversation history is stored securely in the cloud, helping you free up space on your device. The aim of the feature is to fix your iMessage-syncing woes, and its certainly something we recommend checking out.
How to enable Messages in iCloud:
Surprisingly from our own tests we have found Messages in iCloud isn’t always enabled by default. Luckily, a couple of taps are all that is needed to turn on this handy feature.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 11.4
- Tap the first card to view your Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store settings, then press the iCloud option
- Once this has opened scroll down the list of Apps Using iCloud until you see Messages
- Press the toggle and turn Messages in iCloud on/green
With Messages in iCloud only your newest messages are stored locally… What does this mean? Well, rather than Apple keeping all of your Message history stored on your iPhone (locally), it will sync your old messages into the cloud, and only store your recent conversations on your device. – This means your phone will theoretically have more free storage space, because rather than your messages hogging up your phone, the majority will be stored in iCloud.
Although the messages are “removed” from your phone, they are not deleted. At any point a user can simply scroll back through their conversation history, and Apple will download the messages on-demand directly to your iPhone.