iCloud for Windows gets a makeover

Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET.

Have you ever tried iCloud for Windows and hated it? You are not the only one. But Apple listened to the criticism and modified its much-maligned app to make it more enjoyable and easier to use. Available in the Microsoft Store, the new version of the application has benefited from a complete overhaul, including new features and bug fixes.

Beyond its redesign, the iCloud app for Windows now has a simpler installation process, guiding you through every step, and the ability to use physical security keys to sign in. And luckily, you no longer need to make a multitude of connections to access your data.

With this new version, you can also see the sync status of your iCloud content. Additionally, Apple promises improvements for photo syncing and fixes for syncing contacts and calendars with Outlook. However, synchronization with Outlook requires Windows 11 version 22H2 (or later).

So, will you give it another try?

What is iCloud for Windows?

The new features of this latest version aim to improve an application which, for years, has been cumbersome, complex and full of bugs. The app has received a multitude of single-star ratings on the Microsoft Store. Why, you ask me? Quite simply because the application is intended for PC users, and not Mac users.

Indeed, it is very easy to synchronize your iCloud data on a Mac, thanks to a simple and practical functionality integrated into macOS. On the other hand, using Windows makes the task much more difficult. Since Microsoft’s OS does not have this synchronization tool integrated into its system, the iCloud application for Windows is the only alternative for synchronizing your online data and your computer. And this app has until now felt like it was botched just to exist.

As a reminder, the iCloud application for Windows allows you to synchronize data stored in iCloud with a Windows PC. With this in mind, it offers several key features. In particular, it is possible to access photos synchronized on iCloud – from an iPhone, an iPad or a PC for example – and view them in the Windows 11 Photos application. It is also possible to create shared albums. If iCloud Drive is enabled, you can also access your folders and files synced to iCloud directly from Windows File Explorer. It is also possible to share files and automatically synchronize any changes made to one of these files.

iCloud Passwords and Contacts

The iCloud app for Windows also lets you sign in to websites using credentials stored in iCloud Keychain. You can access all of your passwords and create new ones in the iCloud Passwords app, which is automatically added when you install iCloud for Windows. The iCloud Passwords extension also works in the desktop versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. You can even generate verification codes to log into certain websites.

And that’s not all. You can view your iCloud calendars and contacts directly in Microsoft Outlook. And you can sync your Safari bookmarks with the iCloud Bookmarks extension in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.

If you already have an older version of iCloud for Windows, the new version will be automatically installed the next time you open the app. If you don’t have it yet, go to the Microsoft Store page to download and install it.

A personalized configuration

When you first launch the app, once logged in, the app asks you what content you want to sync. You can choose between your iCloud Photos (with Microsoft’s Photos app), iCloud Drive (with File Explorer), your iCloud Keychain passwords, and your Safari bookmarks (on Chrome or Edge, with the extension ) and your iCloud contacts and calendars (with Outlook).

Once you’re done setting it up, the new app appears, displaying the sync status for each file type. You can choose to enable or disable syncing for each category from this screen. You can also view the status of your iCloud storage: a dashboard shows you used and free space.

The new version of iCloud for Windows has already been the subject of mixed reactions: some people are reporting synchronization problems and other bugs, while others have already given it five stars on the Microsoft Store. Overall, it still seems like the app works better with Windows 11 than Windows 10, especially for syncing photos, contacts, and calendars.

Source: ZDNet.com