How many email addresses or, internet accounts do you have?
If you have more than one email address or, internet account, first consider which account you want to use to store your:
- contacts
- calendars
- notes
- files.
In most cases, you’ll want to store this data within one account, only. iCloud is a good choice here.
For example, there’s usually no reason to have contacts saved across multiple accounts. It’s usually best to have them all in one place. So, make a decision: which account do you want to use to store your contacts?
Once you’ve decided where you want to save your contacts, calendars and notes, you would then set up your devices identically to reflect this, and rest assured that your devices will synchronise as expected.
![I use iCloud to store most of my personal data. As such, I don't need to use Gmail's equivalent Contacts feature. But my Microsoft Account, as it's used for work, requires me to maintain separate calendars and contacts.](http://howtouseamac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/multiple-cloud-accounts.png)
Who is your email hosting provider?
Setting up an iCloud, Microsoft, Yahoo!, AOL or Google account on an Apple device is straightforward. You’ll only need to be aware of your email address and password.
If your email is hosted with another service provider, such as GoDaddy, IONOS, 123-reg….get in touch with them to find out your email settings. Keep a record of these settings for future reference. All such providers will have these settings documented on their website.
If it’s a work account, and you don’t know where your email is hosted, contact your IT department for details, and ask them for any specific configuration details you might need.
What features does your email / internet account provide?
Some internet accounts include many features (contacts, calendars, etc..) in addition to email, while others may only offer basic email. Again, contact your email hosting provider or IT department for details on your account’s capabilities.
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