Cloud Storage

Cloud storage saves files on remote servers owned by a cloud provider, rather than on your own device. The servers belong to the company running the service, not to you.

Opening your files

You log in to the cloud storage service to open your files. Because the files are held on the provider's servers, you can reach them from any device with an internet connection, such as a tablet, a home computer or a computer at a relative's house. You do not have to carry the device the file was first saved on, but you do need a connection to get to the files.

Synchronising and backups

Many cloud storage services synchronise files. This means a change made on one device is copied to the other devices logged in to the same account. For example, you add a paragraph to a project on a tablet; once the tablet is online, the updated file is copied to your laptop, so both devices show the same version.

Cloud storage is also used for backups. A backup is a spare copy kept away from the device the file was made on. If your laptop is damaged, the file still exists on the provider's servers, and you can log in on another computer to open it.

Still someone else's servers

Cloud storage is not the same as local storage. Your files are still stored on the provider's servers, not inside your device, so you need an internet connection to reach them. The cloud is not a physical place in the sky; it is simply a way of storing files on servers run by another organisation.