Technology
What is The cloud?
'The cloud' just means computers and storage you use over the internet instead of owning them yourself. When your photos back up online or an app runs on a remote server, that's the cloud — someone else's powerful computers, rented and reached over the network, so you can get to your stuff from anywhere.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the cloud.
Key things to understand
- 1Computing and storage used over the internet.
- 2Runs on remote data-center servers, not your device.
- 3Access your data from any device, anywhere.
- 4You rent capacity instead of owning hardware.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is 'the cloud' actually?
- In data centers — huge buildings full of servers around the world — that you reach over the internet.
- Is the cloud safe?
- Reputable providers encrypt and back up your data, but your account security (strong password, two-factor) matters just as much.
- What's an example of the cloud?
- Google Photos, Gmail, Netflix, and online document editors all run in the cloud.