From the course: macOS Monterey Essential Training

Understand the Apple ID and iCloud accounts - macOS Tutorial

From the course: macOS Monterey Essential Training

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Understand the Apple ID and iCloud accounts

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- [Instructor] Before we start learning how to work with macOS, there's an important conversation we should have about online accounts, specifically the Apple ID account, and the iCloud account. As you use macOS or even an iPhone or iPad, there are many situations where you may be prompted to sign into either an apple ID or iCloud account in order to enable certain functionality. Now you are not required to have an apple ID or iCloud account just to use macOS, they are optional. So if you do not want to set up these accounts, you always have the option to skip it. However, you do need one of these accounts in order to use some applications, and some optional services. So first, let's introduce the Apple ID. The Apple ID is a simple registration for one individual person. It's a way of getting you, and your information into Apple's database, so that you can identify yourself on your computer, and on apples online services. With an Apple ID, you'll have a simple email address, and password that you will need to sign in. In addition to your name and contact information, the Apple ID can keep a record of apple devices that you own. But probably the most common reason people use an Apple ID is because that is where you can set up your payment information to use any of Apple's online stores. So if you buy music in the iTunes Store or apps in the app store, you will need an Apple ID with a credit card or a gift card linked to it. So that's the Apple ID. Then there's the iCloud account. And an iCloud account gives you access to a selection of tools that are built around storing information online, or accessing certain data on multiple devices. For example, iCloud lets you keep your address book, calendars, reminders, and notes synchronized on multiple devices. So the information on your computer might always be the same as the information on your iPhone for example. It also lets you synchronize data from other applications like your photo library. iCloud also includes an email account. A cloud storage tool. And a backup solution for an iPhone or iPad. A basic iCloud account is free, but there are some optional services that cost money. We will see some things in this course that require an iCloud account. And you should check out my course, "iCloud Essential Training." For much more information on iCloud in general. Now that you know about those two accounts, here's one confusing thing that I want to address before you run into it. In some cases, an apple ID account , and an iCloud account can be the same account. Or you might have an iCloud account that is completely separate from your Apple ID. Apple ID and iCloud started as two very different services, but over the years they've changed, and become more closely linked. Now when you sign into iCloud, the email address and password that you use to sign in are considered to be an Apple ID. So you can think of iCloud as an extra service added on top of an Apple ID login. Now for example, I have an Apple ID that I use for the iTunes Store, which is separate from my iCloud account just because I set up those two accounts years ago when they were separate accounts. But now for new users, I strongly recommend you just set up one account that is used for both services. One email address, and password that you'll use whenever you are prompted to sign into, either your apple ID or iCloud. So I hope you're starting to understand what the Apple ID, and iCloud accounts are, and what they're used for. The usefulness of those accounts will become more clear as we go through the rest of this course. At this point, you might want to decide whether you plan to use these accounts or you can continue watching this course, and decide later.

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