Storing files in the cloud: a practical guide

A phone dropped in water, a laptop that will not switch on, a lost flash drive — and with them go a graduation thesis, videos of a child’s first steps or a shop’s contracts. Almost everyone has heard a story like this, and many have lived through one. Cloud storage greatly reduces that risk: your files are no longer tied to a single device and can be opened from anywhere. But a badly set-up cloud brings new problems of its own: a folder deleted by accident disappears from every device, and a forgotten public link hands a personal document to strangers. In this article we look at what the cloud is, how the popular services broadly differ, how syncing works and where its traps are, how to back up phone photos automatically, how to organise folders and name files, how to share files and open them offline, and how to keep your account secure and never lose access to it. At the end you will find a practice exercise and a short checklist.

What the cloud is and how it works

“The cloud” sounds mysterious, but the idea is simple. Cloud storage means keeping your files, over the internet, on powerful computers (servers) owned by another company. These servers sit in dedicated data centres, run around the clock and keep several copies of every file. You then open the file from your phone, your computer or a browser.

You can compare it to a safe deposit box at a bank: your valuables are not at home but somewhere secure, and you hold the key. In the cloud, the “key” is your account — your login and password. That is why how safe your cloud is depends largely on how well your account is protected.

The cloud gives you three main things:

• Storage — a file survives even if your device breaks.
• Access — you can start a document on your home computer and carry on from your phone on the bus.
• Sharing — you can pass on a large file with a single link instead of splitting it into pieces on Telegram.

The cloud needs the internet: files have to upload and update. But, as we will see, important files can be opened offline too.

Popular services: a general comparison

Four services are used most often. All of them offer some free space, but it is limited and changes from time to time, so check the exact figures on the service’s own website.

• Google Drive — tied to Android phones and Gmail. If you have a Google account, you already have Drive. Photos have a separate app, Google Photos. Important: the free space is shared between Gmail, Drive and Photos.
• Microsoft OneDrive — built into Windows and works smoothly with Word and Excel. A natural choice for people who handle a lot of office documents.
• iCloud — for Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac). iPhone photos, contacts and backups go here. On Windows and Android it can do less.
• Yandex Disk — popular among people used to a Russian-language interface, and it can upload photos automatically.

There is no single answer to “which one is best”. A simple rule: start with the service that suits your device. Android and Gmail — Google Drive; iPhone — iCloud; Windows and Office at work — OneDrive. Using all four at once turns your files into a mess: you will simply forget which document lives where. Pick one main service and add another only if you genuinely need it.

Syncing and its pitfalls

Syncing means that the same folder stays identical on several devices. Add a file to your OneDrive or Google Drive folder on the computer and a couple of minutes later it appears on your phone. Edit the file on the phone and the copy on the computer updates too.

This is very convenient, but there is a trap: syncing carries deletions across as well. If you delete a photo folder from a synced folder to free up space on your computer, it vanishes from the cloud and from every other device too. Many people think, “It’s in the cloud anyway, so I’ll delete it from the computer” — and end up losing it everywhere.

Other syncing pitfalls:

• Two people editing at the same time — the program sometimes creates a second copy of the file (with the device name added to its name). Check which one is correct and delete the extra one.
• Changes made without internet — they only upload once the connection is back. Before closing an important file, wait for the sync indicator (usually a green tick or the words “Up to date”).
• An old or unfamiliar device — if you do not sign out of your account on an old phone before selling it, the new owner may be able to see your files.

The good news: in many services deleted files do not disappear straight away but go to a bin (Trash, Bin or Recycle bin) and stay there for a while. If you delete something by mistake, check the bin first. Word and Excel documents also have Version history, which lets you bring back how a file looked yesterday or last week.

The cloud is not a backup

This is an important difference. The cloud is a “live” copy of your files: anything you change, delete or damage changes there as well. A backup is a separate, independent copy from a particular moment that does not change along with the original. Your most important files need both: the cloud for everyday convenience and a backup for protection against serious failures. We will cover backups in detail in a separate article.

Backing up phone photos automatically

For many people the most precious files are the photos and videos on their phone. Malika keeps pictures of her three children on her phone, and the gallery holds several thousand photos. If the phone is lost, they are gone too. With automatic upload switched on, every new photo goes to the cloud by itself.

How to switch it on (menu names may differ slightly depending on the app version):

1. Android, Google Photos: open the app, tap your profile picture in the top right corner → Photos settings → Backup → turn it on. Here you can also choose the upload quality and add Telegram or WhatsApp folders (Back up device folders).
2. iPhone, iCloud: Settings → your name at the top → iCloud → Photos → turn on iCloud Photos (or Sync this iPhone).
3. OneDrive: in the app, your profile picture → Settings → turn on Camera upload (or Camera backup).
4. Yandex Disk: turn on automatic photo upload in the app settings.

Two important settings: to save mobile data, choose to upload over Wi-Fi only, and make sure the first upload has finished. Several thousand photos may not upload in a single night, so leave the phone on Wi-Fi and on the charger. Then open the cloud on another device or in a browser and see with your own eyes that your latest photos are there.

Our article on taking photos and videos with your phone also has tips on shooting and organising pictures.

What to do when you run out of space

When your free space is nearly full, new photos stop uploading and the service sends a warning. Do not rush to delete everything. Tidy up first:

• delete bursts of near-identical shots, blurry photos and screenshots;
• find the largest files — usually long videos; in many services the storage page lets you sort files by size;
• exclude the folder of unwanted pictures saved from Telegram and WhatsApp from automatic upload;
• empty the bin — it takes up space too;
• in a Google account, also check old emails with large attachments, since the space is shared.

If you are still short of space after tidying up, there are two options: move to the service’s paid plan, or move an old archive (for example, photos from past years) to an external drive and delete it from the cloud. In the second case, always check that the copy on the external drive opens before you delete anything.

Keeping order: folders, file names and offline access

The cloud is a large wardrobe. If you throw everything into one drawer, finding the document you need becomes hard.

Folder structure

A simple structure two or three levels deep is enough. For example, Bahodir runs a small building supplies shop in his mahalla. His cloud looks like this:

• Shop → Contracts, Suppliers, Reports (a separate folder for each year), Tax documents
• Family → Documents, Children’s school, Home
• Photos (automatic upload goes here)

Make a habit of putting each new file in its place right away. A “sort it out later” folder usually never gets sorted.

Naming files

A good name tells you what is inside without opening the file. The rules:

• write dates as year-month-day: 2026-09-15 — then files line up in time order on their own;
• what, with whom, which version: 2026-09-15_Contract_Ziyo-Savdo.pdf;
• avoid names like “New document”, “Scan001” or “final_really_final”;
• use an underscore or hyphen instead of spaces — this causes fewer problems in links and some programs.

Jasur, a student, is writing his thesis. He names his files Diplom_Jasur_v1, Diplom_Jasur_v2 and saves a new version after every important stage (for example, after feedback from his supervisor). If he writes in Google Docs or Word Online, he can also go back to any earlier state through File → Version history.

Offline access

The internet is not always there: a trip to a village, a train journey or a day without electricity. Save important files to your device in advance:

• in the Google Drive app: the three dots next to a file → Make available offline;
• OneDrive on a computer: right-click the folder → Always keep on this device; on a phone, Make available offline in the file menu;
• on an iPhone, in the Files app, tap the download icon next to the file.

That is how Jasur keeps his thesis and presentation ready for his defence day: even if there is no internet in the lecture hall, the file is at hand.

The opposite also happens: if your computer is low on space, the Free up space command in OneDrive keeps the file only in the cloud while its icon stays on the computer. This does not mean the file has been deleted — it downloads again whenever you need it.

Sharing and links

One of the cloud’s most convenient features is sharing by link. You send not the file itself but a link to it. Yet every link is an open door, so you need to know who you are giving access to and with what rights.

Sharing in Google Drive (other services are similar):

1. Click Share on the file or folder.
2. To give access to a specific person, enter their email address.
3. Choose a role: Viewer (view only), Commenter (can comment), Editor (can edit).
4. Under General access there are two options: Restricted (only the people you add) or Anyone with the link.

The main rules:

• for personal and financial documents, use only Restricted and named people;
• give editing rights only to people you are actually working with — an Editor can also delete the file;
• a folder open to “anyone with the link” that gets posted in a group chat can spread anywhere;
• when the work is done, close access: remove the person in the Share window or switch general access back to Restricted.

When Malika sends photos of the children to her sister abroad, she creates a separate album and adds only her sister’s email address. She never sends the whole gallery through a public link.

Security, personal documents and keeping access to your account

Everything in your cloud is protected by a single account. If someone gets into it, your photos, documents and possibly your email are in their hands.

Password and two-step protection

Give your cloud account a long password that you do not use anywhere else, and turn on two-factor authentication. In Google it is 2-Step Verification under Security, at Apple it is Two-Factor Authentication, and at Microsoft it is Security → Advanced security options. We cover password managers, spotting phishing and other ways to protect yourself in detail in our article on staying safe online.

Take care with personal documents

Scans of passports, ID cards and certificates are the most sensitive kind of personal data. With them, fraudsters can act in your name. Keeping them in the cloud is convenient (you need them when applying for government services), but take precautions:

• keep them in a separate “Documents” folder and never share that folder by link;
• do not send photos of documents to group chats or social media;
• if you have to give someone a copy, give only the page they need and, if possible, add a note on it such as “For submission to the bank only”;
• do not leave a photo of your passport in your phone gallery — automatic upload will spread it everywhere;
• from time to time, check in the Share window which folders and files are open to whom, and remove access that is no longer needed.

Not losing your account

Many people lose their files not because of hackers but through simple forgetfulness: the password is forgotten, the old phone number has passed to someone else, and there is nothing left to recover the account with. To avoid this, do the following today:

1. In your account settings (Security or Sign-in & security), check that your recovery phone and recovery email are correct.
2. If you change your phone number, update it here first.
3. Write the backup codes you receive when turning on 2FA on paper and keep them somewhere safe at home.
4. For an Apple account, consider adding a trusted relative as a Recovery Contact.
5. If you set up accounts for your children or older relatives, make sure their login and recovery details are in order too.

Common mistakes

• Deleting from a synced folder “to free up space”. The file disappears everywhere. Use Free up space or remove the offline copy instead.
• Assuming automatic upload is working. Switching it on once and never checking again. Space may have run out or the app may have stopped — check once a month.
• Files scattered across several services. Part of the thesis in Drive, part on a flash drive, the latest version in Telegram’s “Saved Messages”. Choose one main place.
• Sharing everything by public link. Especially passport scans and contracts.
• Treating the cloud as the only copy. If the account is closed or a file gets corrupted, there is no other copy.
• Not signing out on someone else’s computer. After an internet café, a shared office computer or a friend’s laptop, always click Sign out.
• Not updating recovery details. The account is lost along with the old SIM card.

Practice exercise and checklist

Set aside 30–40 minutes for this exercise. It is written for an Android phone and a Google account; the steps are similar in other services.

1. Open your cloud service’s app on your phone and find out which account you are signed in with.
2. Turn on automatic photo upload and choose Wi-Fi only.
3. Create three main folders in the cloud: Documents, Work or study, Family.
4. Upload one document with a date in its name, for example 2026-10-05_CV.pdf.
5. Share that file with one close person with Viewer rights only, then close access.
6. Delete a test file and restore it from the bin — on the day you need this skill, it will save you a lot of stress.
7. Make one important file available offline, switch your phone to airplane mode and check that it opens.
8. In your account settings, check your recovery phone, recovery email and 2FA.

Checklist:

• one main cloud service has been chosen;
• phone photos upload automatically, and you have checked this;
• there is a folder structure and files have clear names;
• personal documents are not shared by public link;
• a strong password and two-factor authentication are in place;
• your recovery phone and email are up to date, and backup codes are on paper;
• your most important files have a separate backup outside the cloud.

Conclusion

Cloud storage is not a complicated technology but a well-configured habit. Automatic upload, tidy folders, careful sharing and a protected account will keep your thesis, family photos and work documents safe from the unexpected. The key is to set everything up once and check from time to time that it is still working.

If you want to build your digital skills step by step, take a look at our computer literacy course. Explore all of our association’s free training programmes, and when you are ready, submit an application and our specialists will get in touch.