Macworld USA – August 2019

AUGUST 2019 MACWORLD 119

device with iTunes.
Because iTunes won’t recognize your
device, you need to make a backup with
iCloud. If you have iCloud backup
already enabled:

1. Launch Settings.


2. Tap your name and then iCloud →
   iCloud Backup.


3. Tap Back Up Now.
   However, if you haven’t turned on
   iCloud backup, check that you have
   enough iCloud storage before enabling
   backup.


4. Launch Settings.


5. Tap your name and then iCloud. See
   how much storage remains in the iCloud
   storage visualizer at top.


6. If you need more storage to back up
   your device, tap Manage Storage and then
   tap Change Storage Plan. Follow prompts
   to upgrade.


7. Now back in the iCloud settings, tap
   iCloud Backup and tap On. This will
   proceed to make a backup if you’re
   connected to a Wi-Fi network.
   Now proceed to follow Apple’s
   instructions (go.macworld.com/rsto) for
   restoring an iOS device from backup.

CAN YOU OPT OUT A MAC
FOR iCLOUD PHOTOS?
YES, BUT CLICK CAREFULLY
When you own multiple Macs that are
linked to the same iCloud credentials and

you also have iCloud Photos turned on,

you may want to not sync the iCloud

Photos library to every one of your Macs.

Is that possible? Yes, but you need to read

the fine print before checking or

unchecking boxes.

Apple uses iCloud Photos (the newish

name for iCloud Photos Library) as its

keystone for letting you have your photos

and videos on all your iCloud-linked

devices. Through a combination of sync of

thumbnails and full-resolution media, you

can access all your assets wherever you

are, even when you’re off the internet.

However, iCloud Photos requires a

certain level of commitment. Any device

linked to iCloud Photos has to retain the

full library—even if each item of media is

just a thumbnail—and you can’t pick and

choose what’s synced.

I’ve heard from people with multiple

Macs, who want to keep at least one Mac

out of that sync set while continuing to use

iCloud. That’s perfectly reasonable, as

Apple doesn’t require every iCloud-linked

Mac has iCloud Photos enabled just

because one or more does.

The key is in Photos for macOS, in the

Photos → Preferences settings for iCloud.

There’s a simple checkbox there for iCloud

Photos. If it’s unchecked, there’s nothing

more to do. Even with an iCloud account

used on other Macs and with iOS devices

for iCloud Photos, this particular account