You must have often wondered why sometimes when you pick up your phone you see some clouds next to them. Sometimes you get worried, but this is no cause for alarm.
Let us get to know what those clouds are, the reason they are there and how to remove them.
What are Clouds?
A cloud is a service that helps in storing your data e.g. photos, files, videos, passwords etc securely over the net.
Since it keeps your data stored automatically, it therefore means that you can get access to them anytime and from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection.
More on Cloud Storage
Cloud storage, unlike its counterpart, the traditional or local storage, has been found to be very useful.
This is in the sense that unlike having to fill up all the local space in your phone, you can save all your documents on cloud and still have more than enough space left to save up more documents.
You can quickly access it on any device of your choosing. To add to that, cloud storage has proven to be the most practical and adequate way to store data online thus far.
Further benefits of cloud store includes:
- Cost efficiency
- Synchronisation between devices
- Disaster recovery
- Useability and accessibility
- Speed and flexibility
- Security
Why Does my App Have a Cloud Next to it
Sometimes we see clouds appear next to an app. These clouds appear when you have not opened or used that app for a period of time.
When these clouds appear, it means that the data belonging to that app has been moved to the cloud, However it does not mean the app or its data has been deleted or uninstalled. This is known as offloading.
The app’s data has just simply been saved in the cloud but you will need to redownload it before it can be used.
DIfference Between Offloading and Uninstalling
The concept of offloading and installing has often been misunderstood by people. When we talk about offloading, it entails the shift or movement of data into the cloud storage without losing any data including any file, document or setting related to the app.
Uninstalling on the other hand is a term that refers to total removal and deleting of both the app and every data that has been stored up in the phone’s local storage.
It is important to note that these concepts are the same irrespective of whether you use the Android operating system or an iOS.
How to Turn Off the Cloud on Android Phones?
In order to turn off or disable the cloud icon from popping on your screen and making changes automatically to your apps by sending your information off to cloud storage, follow these steps.
Step 1: Log in with your Google account on the device in order to sync settings, get notifications, status updates, and more.
Step 2: When you are done signing in, Activate the “Cloud” application by going to the “Apps” screen.
Depending on your phone and its settings, you may be able to either select to turn it off or tell it to stop automatic uploading.
How to Turn Off the Cloud on iPhone & iPad?
If you consider these apps still useful and you intend to stop them from offloading automatically, then follow these easy steps to disable offloading in the iOS setting.
Step 1: Tap on the Setting icon on your phone
Step 2: Next go to iTunes & App Store
Step 3: Disable the “Offload Unused Apps” by toggling the switch off
These steps will prevent the Apps from offloading automatically.
How to Get Rid of the Clouds Without Turning off the Cloud Storage from Settings
Let us take it a step further and learn how to easily get rid of the cloud symbols that appear on your device.
Step 1: Tap on the app with the cloud next to it.
Step 2: When you do this you will notice a circular loading motion. This means that the app is being reinstalled back to the phone. If you have a good internet connection, this should not take more than a few seconds.
Once this is done, the cloud symbol will no longer be situated next to the app. Hence, your app is now ready to be used.
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