Technologies

Best Cloud Storage Software Options for 2023

Need to store files, photos or videos in the cloud? We’ve compared features and prices on the top options to help you find the plan that’s right for you.

Between work documents, family photos and (of course) memes, it’s important to keep all your files safely stored and organized. Backing them up on an external storage drive is a great place to start, but you’ll want to keep your most precious files somewhere that can never be lost, damaged or stolen. And that means you’ll want to use the best cloud storage service available, which allows you to access your files whenever, wherever, while also saving space on your phone, tablet or computer.

Cloud storage is also important for people working from home who have to share files with colleagues. There are plenty of free cloud storage services available, with many offering upgraded paid plans, which means it’s easy to find a plan that can meet your needs to keep your data stored safely. The best cloud storage options usually feature individual and business plans, but for this article’s purposes, we’ll be focusing on plans for the average user.

We’ve compiled a guide to the most popular cloud storage services: how they work, their strengths and weaknesses, and some lesser-known services if you want to get away from the mainstream. (To be clear, we have not tested these — rather, we are just providing an overview and some analysis of some of the top options in the market.)

What is cloud storage?

Cloud storage is a type of computer data storage that allows your files to be immediately available on almost any internet-connected device anywhere. Files are stored on servers in a data center, instead of directly on your device.

Best cloud storage service options

Other Cloud Storage Options

Of course, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box and Amazon aren’t your only cloud storage options.

SugarSync is a Dropbox-like alternative with apps for every mobile platform. The service offers personal and business plans with a 30-day free trial to start. With a personal SugarSync account, you get 100GB for $7.49 a month, $250GB for $10 a month or 500GB for $18.95 a month. The service offers secure file-sharing (even if they don’t have an account), collaboration, file syncing, as well as remote data wipe in the event of loss, theft or damage.

Another option for cloud storage is pCloud. The service offers annual and lifetime plans for individuals, families and businesses. PCloud doesn’t limit file sizes and doesn’t throttle your upload or download speeds. While your pCloud files are securely stored on the company’s servers, you can add an extra layer of protection by purchasing pCloud Crypto. PCloud Crypto provides client-side encryption where the encrypted version of your files are stored on pCloud servers, but the plain-text files stay on your computer. With your Crypto Pass code, you can encrypt or decrypt your files.

You can subscribe to Premium 500GB ($50 a year) or Premium Plus 2TB ($100 a year). Both of these plans, as well as the Custom 10TB Plan also offer a lifetime subscription for a flat fee. Customers can start with annual plans and upgrade to lifetime plans later if they choose.

Cloud storage: Terms to know

Cloud: This refers to software and services that are stored on the internet, instead of locally on your computer or phone. The cloud allows you to access your files anywhere with an internet connection.

Data center: Even though your files are stored in the cloud, there is still physical hardware involved. The company that you’ve purchased cloud storage from — like Google or Apple — will have actual servers where customer information lives.

Terabyte: A terabyte is a unit of measurement for digital data. One terabyte equals about 1,000 GB.

Frequently asked questions

How do I clear my cloud storage?

The process for clearing your cloud storage may vary depending on which service you use. In the Google One app, for example, there’s a Free Up Account Storage button.

Why use cloud storage?

Instead of having to remember a thumb drive, or emailing items to yourself, cloud storage lets you access your files, documents and photos on demand. If your computer or phone crashes, you don’t have to worry about losing your content, because those files are stored on a separate server. Cloud storage can be a convenient option because options like Google One, iCloud and OneDrive are built into services many use on a daily basis. Cloud storage also lets you keep your device’s local storage freed up.

Is cloud storage safe?

According to Norton, cloud storage is a safe option for users because the on-site servers are usually located in warehouses that few employees have access to. In addition, the files stored on the servers are encrypted, adding another layer of security.

No type of digital storage is risk-free, but cloud storage services also offer more immediate security features like two-factor authentication and security checkups. Privacy and security features may vary between services.

How much cloud storage do I need?

How much storage you’ll need will depend on what you’re storing. A student will likely need a smaller storage plan than a professional photographer. If your needs change, most plans let you easily upgrade or downgrade.

For more information, check out how to clear up space in your Google Drive and the best iPhones of 2023.

Sarah Mitroff contributed to this article.

Technologies

I Made Google Translate My Default on iPhone Before a Trip and It Saved Me More Than Once

Google Translate supports far more languages than Apple’s app, and it’s easy to make the switch.

If you’re traveling overseas this summer, the Google Translate app can come in handy to quickly translate a road sign or conversation. The latest Google Translate update allows you to pick the app as your default translation app for Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 and later. Previously, you were limited to the built-in Apple option.

Google began leveraging AI to boost Google Translate’s offerings, adding 110 languages last year to increase its total support for 249 languages. Compare that to Apple Translate, which supports 19 languages. Neither Google nor Apple responded to a request for comment.

Both apps offer voice and text translation, including a camera feature that lets you instantly translate by pointing your camera at text. Both also allow you to use translation features without an internet connection, which can come in particularly handy when traveling to more remote locations.

After using both, I found that the Google Translate picked up speech a little quicker so I didn’t have to constantly repeat myself, and the audio pronunciations were a little easier to understand than on Apple Translate. I switched to Google Translate as the default on my iPhone, and here’s how you can, too.

How to set Google Translate as the default on an iPhone or iPad

Setting Google Translate as your default app is simple on an iPhone or iPad, so long as it’s running iOS and iPadOS 18.4 or later.

Download the Google Translate app or update it to the latest version.
Go to the Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Scroll down to the bottom then select Apps.
Click Default Apps at the top of the screen.
Then choose Translation.
Select Google Translate.

Technologies

The 20 Best PC Games Right Now

Put your gaming computer to the test with the best PC games out right now, including AAA hits like Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong as well as indie darlings.

PC gaming gives you the best of most worlds. With a decent budget and some gumption, you can build a solid desktop rig — or you can invest in one of CNET’s best gaming PCs and gain access to a wide world of PC exclusives, indie games and even some titles that were previously exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox.

There’s a truly unlimited amount of tags, store queues and interactive recommendations to browse through, and it can get overwhelming trying to find the next best metroidvania, boomer shooter, collectathon or whatever your cup of tea is. PC gamers aren’t lacking for choice.

In fact, between Steam, the Epic Games Store, Game Pass and more, there are thousands upon thousands of games to choose from. One of the biggest issues you can run into with a massive backlog is choice paralysis. Just which are the best PC games out there?

We’re here to help. To narrow your game choices, CNET curated this list of the best PC games you can play right now.

Read more: Best Gaming PC Deals Right Now

TL;DR? These are the 20 best PC games for June 2025

Balatro
Warframe
Baldur’s Gate 3
Overwatch 2
Valorant
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
Elden Ring
Cassette Beasts
Dread Delusion
Celeste
Total War: Pharaoh
Stardew Valley
Lunacid
Black Myth: Wukong
Neon White
Helldivers 2
Risk of Rain 2
Soulstone Survivors
Terraria
Haste

PC gaming FAQs

Recent updates to the list

February 2025: While no new games have been added to the list so far this year, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an early frontrunner. A spate of stellar seasonal events, maps and new heroes has also put Marvel Rivals in contention for the PC hero shooter crown.

Read more: The Best Heroes to Play in Marvel Rivals

June 2025: Added Helldivers 2, Risk of Rain 2, Soulstone Survivors, Terraria and Haste to the list in order to represent both games industry behemoths and indie gaming hidden gems.

How we determined CNET’s best PC games

When creating this list of the best PC games, we factored in how unique and enjoyable these games are for most players. We evaluated criteria including graphical quality, innovative gameplay mechanics and compelling narratives. The picks we made cover a variety of genres from fantasy to retro platformers to shooters to strategy games, and while we favored PC-exclusive games and indie titles you won’t find on Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, we also included some can’t-miss games that appear on multiple platforms. If you’re looking for help choosing your next game, CNET’s top PC list is a good place to start narrowing your choices.

Technologies

How to Add These Hidden Music and Apple Intelligence Controls to Your iPhone

One control can Apple’s Visual Intelligence to more devices besides the iPhone 16 lineup.

Apple released iOS 18.4 on March 31, and the update brought bug fixes, new emoji and a new recipes section in Apple News to all iPhones. The update also brought a handful of new controls to the iPhone Control Center, including one that brings Visual Intelligence to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

When Apple released iOS 18 in September, the update remodeled the Control Center to give you more control over how the feature functions. With iOS 18, you can resize controls, assign some controls to their own dedicated page and adjust the placement of controls to your liking. Apple also introduced more controls to the feature, making it a central hub for all your most-used iPhone features.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18

With iOS 18.4, Apple continues to expand the number of controls you can add to the Control Center. If you have the update on your iPhone, you can add ambient music controls, and Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhones get a few AI controls in the menu, too. Here’s what you need to know about the new controls and how to add them to your Control Center.

Ambient Music controls

Apple gave everyone four new controls in the Control Center library under the Ambient Music category. These controls are Sleep, Chill, Productivity and Wellbeing. Each of these controls can activate a playlist filled with music that corresponds to the specific control. Sleep, for instance, plays ambient music to help lull you to bed.

Some studies suggest white noise could help adults learn words and improve learning in environments full of distractions. According to the mental health company Calm, certain kinds of music can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep. So these new controls can help you learn, fall asleep and more.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

You’ll see a section of controls called Ambient Music. You can also search for «Ambient Music» in the search bar at the top of the control library. Under Ambient Music, you’ll see all four controls. Tap one (or all) of them to add them to your Control Center. Once you’ve added one or all the controls to your Control Center, go back to your Control Center and tap one to start playing music.

Here’s how to change the playlist for each control.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap the Ambient Music control you want to edit.
4. Tap the playlist to the right of Playlist.

A dropdown menu will appear with additional playlists for each control. If you’re in the Sleep control, you’ll see playlists like Restful Notes and Lo-Fi Snooze. If you have playlists in your Music app, then you’ll also see an option From Library, which pulls music from your library. Tap whichever playlist you want and it will be assigned to that control.

Apple already lets you transform your iPhone into a white noise machine with Background Sounds, like ocean and rain. But Ambient Music is actual music as opposed to more static sounds like in that feature.

Both of these features feel like a way for Apple to present itself as the first option for whenever you want some background music to help you fall asleep or be productive. Other services, like Spotify and YouTube, already have ambient music playlists like these, so this could be Apple’s way of taking some of those service’s audience.

Apple Intelligence controls

Only people with an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 16 lineup can access Apple Intelligence features for now, and those people got three new dedicated Apple Intelligence controls with iOS 18.4. Those controls are Talk to Siri, Type to Siri and Visual Intelligence.

Here’s how to find these controls.

1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your Home Screen to open your Control Center.
2. Tap the plus (+) sign in the top-left corner of your screen.
3. Tap Add a Control.

Then you can use the search bar near the top of the screen to search for «Apple Intelligence» or you can scroll through the menu to find the Apple Intelligence & Siri section. Tap any (or all) of these controls to add them to your Control Center. While Talk to Siri and Type to Siri controls can be helpful if you have trouble accessing the digital assistant, the Visual Intelligence control is important because it brings the Apple Intelligence feature to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Visual Intelligence was originally only accessible on the iPhone 16 lineup because those devices have the Camera Control button. With iOS 18.4, Visual Intelligence is now accessible on more devices and people thanks to the titular control in Control Center. But remember, Visual Intelligence is like any other AI tool so it won’t always be accurate. You should double check results and important information it shows you.

For more on iOS 18, here are all the new emoji you can use now and everything you should to know about the recipes section in Apple News. You can also check out all the features included in iOS 18.5 and our iOS 18 cheat sheet.