Computer Class: Cloud Storage & Calendars

Action Items & Next Steps

[ ] Check your computer's storage capacity for external backup needs
[ ] Create a backup routine for your files
[ ] Review your cloud storage settings (iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.)
[ ] Check which calendar accounts are active on your devices
[ ] Consolidate to using one primary calendar
[ ] Turn off calendar accounts you don't need
[ ] Set your default calendar in Calendar settings
[ ] Review and merge duplicate calendars if needed
[ ] Turn off duplicate holiday and birthday calendars

Next Class Topics

Consolidating multiple cloud storage accounts (Google, Yahoo, OneDrive, Dropbox)
Finding files that aren't where you think they should be
Avoiding duplicate calendars
iPhone and iPad calendar settings
Agenda view on iPhone for better calendar visualization
Calendar subscriptions for automatic event imports

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Cloud Storage Overview

Major Cloud Storage Services:

iCloud: Apple's cloud storage service
Google Drive: Google's cloud storage
OneDrive: Microsoft's cloud storage (1TB included with Microsoft 365 subscription)
Dropbox: Third-party cloud storage

Free vs. Paid Storage:

All services offer free storage thresholds
Additional storage requires paid subscriptions
If you're only using free tiers across multiple services, no need to consolidate
Consider consolidating if paying for multiple services

Understanding File Locations

Reading File Paths:

In Microsoft Word, file paths appear in gray text below the filename in Recent Files
File paths read from right to left (bottom to top of hierarchy)
Macintosh HD = files stored on local computer hard drive
OneDrive or iCloud Drive = files stored in the cloud

Temporary Files:

Files with random number/letter codes are temporary files from email attachments
These are stored in hard-to-find temporary locations
Important temporary files should be saved to Desktop or Documents folders with proper names

Checking File Locations in Pages:

Click on the document title at the top to see where it's saved
Default location is iCloud Drive for automatic versioning

Auto-Save and File Versioning

Microsoft Word:

Auto-save feature saves versions every 30-60 seconds
Only works when files are saved to OneDrive, not to local hard drive
Included with Microsoft 365 subscription

Apple Pages:

Auto-save works when files are saved to iCloud Drive
Access versions via File → Revert To → Browse All Versions

Google Docs:

Automatically saves to Google Drive with versioning
Cannot save to local storage

Why Versioning Matters:

Allows recovery of previous versions if content is lost or deleted
Important for troubleshooting and recovering lost work

Choosing Your Cloud Storage

Decision Factors:

Which word processing software you use most (Word, Pages, or Google Docs)
Where your collaborators share files
Whether you need versioning capabilities

Accessing Shared Files:

You can access files shared on Dropbox without a paid Dropbox account
You're accessing files in the owner's storage, not using your own

Recommended Services:

Most users only need 2-3 cloud storage services: iCloud, OneDrive, and/or Google Drive

Cloud Storage Benefits

Advantages:

Extends storage capacity on devices with limited space (phones, iPads)
Files accessible from any device with internet
Automatic syncing across devices

Offline Access:

Files can be downloaded for offline use
"Make available offline" option allows access without internet

Calendar Management

Goal: Use Only One Calendar:

Multiple calendars create confusion and duplicate entries
Avoid splitting events into multiple calendars by category (exercise, social, cultural)
Exception: Shared calendars with family members are acceptable

Checking Your Calendars:

Click the calendar icon to view all active calendars
Go to Calendar → Accounts to see which accounts have calendars enabled
Look for multiple colors in your calendar view - each color may represent a different calendar

Identifying Which Calendar Events Use:

Open an event and click the color next to the title
This shows which calendar account the event belongs to

Choosing Your Primary Calendar:

Use Apple Calendar if you primarily use Macintosh Mail
Use Google Calendar if most of your events are already there
Check which calendar has more upcoming events before deciding

Consolidating Calendars

Turning Off Extra Calendars:

In Calendar → Accounts, disable calendar sync for accounts you won't use
This prevents duplicate entries across multiple calendar systems

Merging Apple Calendars:

If you have multiple calendars under iCloud (work, personal, etc.)
Hold Control and click on a calendar, then select "Merge"
All events from the selected calendar move to your primary calendar
Continue merging until only one calendar remains under iCloud

Syncing Across Devices:

Calendar changes on your computer automatically sync to iPhone and iPad
You'll still need to adjust calendar settings on each device separately

Managing Birthdays and Holidays

Multiple Holiday/Birthday Entries:

Each calendar account (Google, Apple, Exchange) can add its own birthdays and holidays
This creates duplicate entries for the same dates

Fixing Duplicates:

Turn off birthdays and holidays for all but one calendar account
Each account can be toggled independently

Apple Birthday Management:

Apple Calendar pulls birthdays from the Contacts app
Edit a contact and add/remove birthday information there
If you include the birth year, calendar shows the person's age each birthday
Customize birthday alerts (default is 1 day before) to get earlier reminders for sending cards

Calendar Settings and Customization

Setting Default Calendar:

Go to Calendar → Settings → Default Calendar
Choose your primary calendar so new events automatically use it
Prevents accidentally creating events in the wrong calendar

Display Preferences:

Change when your calendar day starts (default is 8:00 AM)
Adjust alert timing for different event types
Set separate alert timing for birthdays (e.g., 1 week before instead of 1 day)
Explore other customization options in Calendar → Settings

Calendar Colors:

Control + click on a calendar to change its color
Color changes don't automatically sync across devices
You'll need to change colors manually on each device

Sharing Calendars

Creating Shared Calendars:

Control + click on a calendar and select "Share Calendar"
Enter the other person's email or phone number (they must have an Apple account)
Both parties can add events that appear on each other's calendars

Use Cases for Shared Calendars:

Family scheduling
Managing someone else's appointments
Helping someone who's less tech-savvy stay organized

Recurring Events

Setting Up Repeating Events:

When creating an event, go to "Repeat" settings
Options include: daily, weekly, custom (specific days)
Set an end date to limit how long the event repeats

Editing Recurring Events:

Move or delete individual instances or all future instances
System asks whether to apply changes to one event or all events
Changes to past instances aren't affected when editing future events

Tips and Tricks

Using Siri for Calendar Entries:

Voice commands make adding calendar events much faster
Example: "Create a calendar date for [event details]"

Avoiding Email Attachment Confusion:

When opening attachments from email, they save to temporary locations
Always "Save As" to a proper location (Desktop, Documents) if you need the file again

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