Which cloud storage should you choose? Microsoft OneDrive - file storage service The best cloud storage for windows phone

TOP CHOICE | Review – Where to store files online?

Choosing a file storage service online is similar to choosing a bank in real life. Having given your money to the unknown, dubious “Kukareku Bank”, there is a chance that you will not see it again. Therefore, it is worth choosing projects with a good reputation!
Beginners should be reminded that cloud data storage require the user to have Email. Get yourself a free box on any popular site.

∴ Free Cloud Storage Services (2018)
======================================== ============

♦ Microsoft OneDrive

https://onedrive.live.com/
The deal: 5GB of free cloud storage

Formerly known as SkyDrive, OneDrive is an online storage from Microsoft. After free registration you get 5 GB of free space on the server.

Download the application for Windows OneDriveSetup.exe(19 MB), you can use the services of synchronizing and sharing folders for several people.

OneDrive- online storage that you can access from anywhere. You can easily save Office documents and other files to the cloud and access them on any device.
By using OneDrive you can share documents, photos and other files without sending cumbersome email attachments. In addition, with files OneDrive easy to work in Windows and on the computer Mac.

Use OneDrive on your phone or tablet to work with files on the go. Available for iOS, Android And Windows Phone.

♦ Box

https://box.com/

A veteran among file hosting services, on the market for more than 10 years. A worthy offer of ten free gigabytes does not come without a nasty fly in the ointment: you cannot upload a file weighing more than 250 MB.

Why is it interesting? Box.com? The successful name from a marketing point of view and the draconian conditions for uploading files give confidence in the solid future of this project. They won't let him bend. You can safely store files here without fear of the untimely death of the service.

♦ MediaFire

https://www.mediafire.com/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

Average upload and download speeds, in a word – a workhorse. Main course – 10 free gigabytes- works honestly. Sharing the desired file occurs with one click of the mouse. There is an application for iOS And Android.
Free version MediaFire allows you to upload files weighing only up to 4 GB.

From the side of the one who pumps, not everything is so rosy. On one of the forums they posted a file of the magazine in the form of a link to a folder MediaFire. I couldn't find a way to download the entire folder: the site requires Upgrade(a hint of money - switch to a premium account). You download one file at a time and curse everything in the world, fighting with crazy advertising windows (the plugin makes life a little easier Adblock in the browser).

♦ Gavitex

https://gavitex.com/

The free cloud service makes a mixed impression. It would seem that having logged into the site, I successfully uploaded 15 GB of my files into the virtual storage, but firstly, the process turned out to be very slow, and secondly, the current upload status was not displayed. The user is forced to “wait for the weather by the sea”, wondering if it’s frozen? Gavitex offers to download the application - for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android. Maybe things are different here? Alas, it’s difficult to check this - the downloaded installer refused to connect to the server: “error”.

Nevertheless, 25 free gigabytes- the thing is quite pleasant. A serious argument from Gavitex! I was pleased with the convenient function for generating public links: by clicking on the stylized “corner” near the desired file, a menu is called up Download links. Everything is clear and simple.
If you correct childhood mistakes, the main problem of the little-known Gavitex will remain in the brand itself. Are you sure that Gavitex will exist in 2–3 years? I'm not at all sure. The service is not suitable for storing valuable files - personal photo and video archives, documents - only as an “alternate airfield”.

♦ pCloud

https://www.pcloud.com/ru/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

This cloud data storage service works like this: download the desktop application pCloud_Windows_3.5.6.exe(8 MB), install, launch. pCloud Drive creates a virtual partition that Windows refers to Devices with removable media, i.e. recognizes it as a regular flash drive.

This discreet app is so convenient to use that you can’t help but be amazed. IN Windows 7 64-bit it eats up from 18 to 135 MB of RAM. Can also be installed on Mac And Linux, plus a mobile application for iOS/Android devices.

Working with files is the same as when using a computer every day. With high Internet speeds, you can completely forget that a flash drive is not a simple one, but a virtual one. Chapter "P" now all the time Windows and, of course, does not disappear anywhere and does not require connection the next time you start the computer. You can work with him at least Total Commander, but I must admit, ordinary windows turn out to be more informative Windows.

The desktop application (launched by a shortcut on the desktop) also has tabs Sync And Shares, responsible for the so-called syncing folders and public links to your files respectively.
By logging in to the site pCloud, we will find a typical web interface: in the section Browse your folders (i.e. you can upload files here), section Basket, in which deleted free account files are stored for 24 hours. If the user does not have enough space in the cloud, you can upgrade to a premium account.

Rules pCloud state that if an account is inactive for more than 1 year, it is closed and the files are permanently deleted.

♦ Syncplicity

https://www.syncplicity.com/
The deal: 10GB of free cloud storage

Many of our competitors have the function synchronization(“backup”, “mirror”, “backup”), but there are also specialized Internet services. Their main task is not to save space on your hard drive, but to duplicate folders selected by the user to the server.
Thus, valuable files are stored in two places at once: on your computer and in the cloud, which ensures their reliable safety.

Such services include the wonderful Syncplicity. After downloading the client Syncplicity_Setup.exe(8 MB) and installing it, we get a convenient tray icon (in the lower right corner of the screen). By default, the service allocates a folder at My Computer / Favorites / Syncplicity– everything that is thrown there will be duplicated in the online cloud.

I recently did a service iDrive is also an interesting, high-quality project whose specialization is backup.

♦ hubiC

https://hubic.com/
The deal: 25GB of free cloud storage

"25 GB are not lying around on the road!" – I said to myself and rushed to create a free account on hubiC. Managing files and folders is very simple, you can hardly get confused in basic English phrases "Download – Other Actions – New Folder – Add Files"("Download - Other actions - New folder - Add files").

To create a public link, click the “corner” next to the desired file. By decision of the authors hubiC link lifespan is limited to a maximum 30 days.
The upload speed to the file storage is quite average; in any case, there are not enough stars in the sky.
hubiC– a calm, self-possessed, unflappable web portal with an excellent offer 25 free gigabytes virtual space. Deservedly included in the top ten best cloud data storage.

♦ Ulozto

https://ulozto.net/
The deal: unlimited space (free)

An unusual participant in our review. At first sight, Ulozto looks like a typical commercial file hosting service. Soon you notice pleasant things: after free registration a paid account is not forced, the upload speed is above average, the download speed is acceptable, and, finally, the most attractive thing is unlimited space for your files, including large ones (3 GB videos are uploaded without problems). This stunning "feature" that makes Ulozto from the gray mass of exchangers, forces you to pay close attention to it.
Files can be divided into private And public. Marked as private (For me only), files will not be displayed in general search web portal.
How secure is storing files on Ulozto? It was not possible to find exact information, but “eternal storage” is implied. My files have been on the server for six months, no threats or warnings from Ulozto does not arrive.

Unlimited space for files is a complex and ambitious task for the company that created Ulozto. At the address in Facebook it is clear that she has Czech roots.

Users and businesses will continue to move away from bulky and expensive servers and instead choose the cloud to store files. Given the variety of storage options available, you should choose carefully.

Lifehacker suggests paying attention to services that provide maximum free space with reliable data protection and high-quality service. Prices shown are for starter plans only.

• Price: 2GB free, 1TB for $8.25 per month. The standard Dropbox Business subscription costs $12.50 per month per user.
• Applications:
• Russian language support: There is.

Initially, this cloud storage giant only gives you access to 2 GB of free space. But it can be easily expanded to 16 GB: just link accounts on social networks and offer a referral link to several friends.

A Dropbox Business subscription allows you to use your corporate account for collaboration, and also gives you unlimited space for your personal account. Moreover, you get a number of advanced features like file recovery and customization of access levels.

• Price: 15 GB free, 100 GB for 139 rubles per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
• Russian language support: There is.

One of the most obvious options for owners of Android devices, since the application is natively installed on smartphones and tablets based on Google's OS. However, due to the considerable amount of free storage, the service may also be attractive to owners of other devices.

Among the disadvantages is that the interface of the browser version is not the simplest. But Windows and macOS users can download a much more convenient application.

3. Mega

• Price: 50 GB free, 200 GB for 4.99 euros per month.
• Applications:
• Russian language support: There is.

Another service with a generous free plan and a drag-and-drop interface. Mega has a convenient mobile application for downloading files, as well as desktop clients for synchronizing them.

According to the company, all data is encrypted on your device before it ends up on the servers. The Mega client source code is available on GitHub and can be reviewed by any expert. Therefore, the statement inspires confidence.

• Price: 10 GB free, another 10 GB for 30 rubles per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, LG Smart TV.
• Russian language support: There is.

The cloud from Yandex works quickly and stably, and is constantly acquiring new functions. The service has a high synchronization speed. The platform's capabilities are built into some third-party applications.

Despite the presence of clients for all popular desktop and mobile platforms, the Yandex.Disk browser interface is also very practical. The service also has very good opportunities to expand space through partnerships with companies. For example, if you are a Muscovite and use the OnLime tariff plan from Rostelecom, then the disk capacity increases by 100 GB.

• Price: 5 GB free, 50 GB for 140 rubles per month, 1 TB for 269 or 339 rubles when you sign up for a personal or family subscription to Office 365, respectively.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Xbox.
• Russian language support: There is.

The former SkyDrive is built into standard Windows 10 File Explorer. There's no need to download an app - everything is already downloaded for you.

The operating system's built-in Photos app can use OneDrive to sync all your pictures between devices.

When installing a client for macOS, you should take into account not the most positive reviews about it.

In addition to the regular pricing plans, Microsoft has Office 365 Personal and Office 365 Home. Both subscriptions include 1 TB of cloud storage, full versions of Office apps for Windows and macOS, and a host of other benefits. The second option gives 1 TB to five users at once.

• Price: 8 GB free, 64 GB for 69 rubles per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone.
• Russian language support: There is.

The closest analogue of Yandex.Disk in terms of available features, web version interface and supported platforms. Loses to its main competitor due to its extensive referral program. Among the advantages is a larger amount of free storage.

Among other things, the service has a tool for quickly creating and saving screenshots in the cloud.

• Price: 5 GB free, 50 GB for 59 rubles per month.
• Applications: Windows.
• Russian language support: There is.

5GB of free space may not be enough, but iCloud is the most convenient way to back up your iPhone photos.

The service is integrated into the Finder program on macOS - the desktop of all MacBooks. Documents created through the iWork office suite are also saved in iCloud and can be synchronized between devices. The platform also has an official client for Windows, with which you can keep files on your PC up to date.

8.Box

• Price: 10 GB free, 100 GB for 8 euros per month. Business subscription costs 12 euros per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
• Russian language support: There is.

The platform quickly gained popularity and is supported by a number of popular work services, such as Google Docs and Office 365. Box desktop clients allow you to not only synchronize, but also edit files.

The company is actively promoting business subscriptions. It is the one that appears in the center of the screen when you click on the registration button. This plan gives you access to advanced collaboration features and unlimited cloud space.

• Price: Free setup and use, space prices vary by hosting provider. Nextcloud Box costs 70 euros.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
• Russian language support: No.

The company itself is not a cloud storage provider, but does offer free software for setting up the cloud on your own server. The main advantage of this option is speed. You can also enable encryption and not worry about files leaving your home network.

If you do not have experience in setting up servers, you can buy a pre-configured option - Nextcloud Box. Inside the device there is a 1 TB hard drive. It easily connects to an inexpensive single board computer. True, in order to get your hands on a mini-server, you will have to use the services of third-party companies: there is no direct delivery to Russia and the CIS countries.

• Price: 2 GB free, 250 GB for $9 per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
• Russian language support: No.

Another English-language platform that has long operated under a zero-knowledge protocol. It was implied that the company interacts with user data without disclosing its content in any way. Recently it turned out that there are some caveats here, and SpiderOak abandoned its main feature. But this did not stop us from striving to provide files.

The repository has clients for all popular desktop and mobile platforms. You can use the web client, but for privacy advocates this is the least preferred option because it gives away your password to SpiderOak employees.

• Price: 5 GB free, 2 TB for $52.12 per year with special offer, then $69.5.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Windows Phone.
• Russian language support: No.

The product supports constant synchronization of all your files - even those stored on network drives. The web interface allows you to share data by mail, Facebook and Twitter.

The advantage of IDrive is that files deleted from the computer from the cloud do not automatically disappear. The company also has a service called IDrive Express: if you lose all your data, they will deliver a hard drive to you for quick recovery.

• Price: 10 GB free, 500 GB for $3.99 per month, pCloud Crypto encryption price: $3.99 per month.
• Applications: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
• Russian language support: There is.

The service has restrictions on the speed of downloading files, but there is no limit on their size. The storage can be used from any platform - through an application or website.

The company is registered in Switzerland, a country known for its strict privacy laws. For an additional amount, you can use the pCloud Crypto service to encrypt individual files.

Cloud technologies have confidently penetrated most computer areas, and today many tasks are associated with cloud services. If you were looking for a cloud for Windows 10, then in this article you will learn about the main options. All of the above examples work perfectly not only on a computer, but also on a tablet and laptop, both on 64-bit and 32-bit versions of Windows 10.

How to log into the cloud on Windows 10

To join cloud technologies, you will need to register with any cloud service. Initially, the application is pre-installed on Windows 10 - this is the official Microsoft cloud service. To enter it, you need to find OneDrive on your device or install it.

After this, create a Microsoft account if you have not done so before, after which you will have access to Windows cloud storage. The folder will be located directly in Explorer, like the folder of any other drive, for example, drive C. Moreover, the latest version will allow you to work with this folder in the same way as with a local one. But OneDrive is not the only cloud solution; there are other options.

Which cloud to choose for Windows 10

There are only three worthy options: , and , let’s look at each of them in more detail, and start with the popular Yandex.Disk:

This cloud service provides 10 GB of space. Can work as a simple browser storage. However, by downloading the application you can get the cloud for Windows 10 in the same form as OneDrive.

iCloud is a cloud we recommend for those who, in addition to Windows 10, also use iOS or MAC devices. This is a service from Apple created to synchronize data between Apple devices. For Windows users, there is an application that allows you to access files via the cloud.

The MailRu cloud appeared several years ago. At first, up to 100 GB of space was provided for free. Today the limit has been cut, and you can only count on 25 GB. However, by downloading the Mail ru cloud you can access your files from different devices. The browser version of the cloud is very different from the version through the program, even if you use the official one.

Disable cloud

For those who no longer need the cloud and want to turn it off, we recommend the following sequence of actions:

• Download all the necessary data to your HDD;
• Delete all data from the cloud;
• Delete your account and erase the client on your computer;

If you have little free space on your hard drive, then first study. For those who want to maintain access to files, but do not need the cloud on one specific Windows 10 computer or laptop, it will be enough to log out of your profile and delete the client. There is no need to erase files. However, keep in mind that most services delete files automatically if you do not request them from time to time. It is for this reason that it is so important to make a copy on your computer, even if you do not erase the files from the cloud yourself.

You can learn more about choosing a cloud service from this video:

Did you like the article? Share with your friends:

• Useful programs for Windows 10

Cloud information storage technologies entered our lives several years ago. However, many users of even the most modern operating system still Windows 10 have a vague idea of ​​why all these clouds are needed and, most importantly, how to use them. There are many myths about online cloud storage. One of them claims that storing data in the cloud is extremely dangerous. They say data can be stolen by ill-wishers, and there is also the possibility of its complete loss. Of course, there is no smoke without fire, but I am still not a supporter of dramatizing this situation. Firstly, all computer technologies carry the potential danger of sudden failure and data loss, but for some reason people do not stop using computers or throw them in the trash because of this. Secondly, the theft of personal information from the cloud (such as private photos, music, videos and programs) is, in principle, of little interest to anyone. Of course, if you are a large entrepreneur and are going to store trade secrets in the cloud on Windows 10, then you should think about possible intrigues from competitors. If a personal archive is stored there, it is difficult to imagine that it will be useful to someone enough for people to start hacking protection systems developed by the world's largest companies.

Benefits of Cloud Storage

Personally, I have been storing my entire computer archive in cloud storage for several years now. First on the “seven”, and after the release on Windows 10. I have never lost anything or experienced technical problems. But many times I thought about the advantages of such information storage:

Note! Cloud storage folders can be safely located on regular hard drives (HDD), but not on solid-state drives (SSD). The rewriting resource of an SSD is limited (information can be erased and written a certain number of times). It is better not to place clouds on such storage facilities.

How the cloud works on Windows 10

Some people believe that computer clouds are something extremely serious and as nebulous as natural clouds. In fact, cloud storage technology can be described very simply and understandably even for the most inexperienced users.

Cloud storage does not mean that the files are not on your Windows 10 computer and are stored somewhere far away, in some incomprehensible cloud. All your documents, audio recordings and videos, first of all, are located in a separate folder on the selected partition of the computer’s hard drive. The essence of the cloud is that we simply save any image, text document, program or video there, and their copies are automatically sent for storage to a remote server (cloud).

This synchronization of our files with cloud storage does not happen on its own. To make this possible, a special program is installed on the computer, which automatically monitors changes in “its” folder and writes them to the cloud. In the event that the operating system is completely reinstalled or the hard drive is replaced, then the same program writes all our files from the cloud storage back to the computer. All that is needed for such a program to work is to have your own account in the appropriate cloud storage service. That is, you don’t need to do anything manually. If you delete a file from a cloud folder on your computer, it disappears from the cloud; if you create it, it appears there.

OneDrive is the standard free cloud storage for Windows 10

The Windows 10 operating system, like the G8, already has pre-installed free cloud. It's called OneDrive and will fully satisfy the requirements of unpretentious users. If you have a few important documents, a few hundred songs and the same number of photos, then 5GB (that’s how much is provided for cloud storage in OneDrive) is enough for you. If your storage needs exceed these 5 gigabytes, then there are two options left: either buy additional space or look for other clouds.

For reference, at the time of editing this article (December 2017), expanding cloud storage from Microsoft to 50 gigabytes costs 140 rubles per month. In my opinion, very expensive for such a small space. Moreover, there are services where the same 50 GB can be obtained absolutely free (I will talk about this below). By the way, previously the creators of Windows were more generous and gave 15GB for free. Now they have become more tight-fisted. This is understandable: OneDrive is pre-installed storage and it’s easier for people to buy the additional space they need in an already mastered program than to look for alternative options. Free 5 GB here acts as a kind of commercial bait: they allow you to attract users, but often are not able to fully satisfy their needs.

I confess, I use One Drive. I keep a small number of the most important and frequently used documents there. My other larger personal files are located on other clouds. I think the main advantages of the cloud from Microsoft are that this program is already preinstalled in the Windows 10 operating system and yet it was developed by the company that created this operating system itself. However, it’s unlikely that it will ever occur to me to buy additional space in OneDrive.

Since OneDrive is installed by default in Windows 10, it would be ridiculous not to use it. It may only contain 5 GB of data, but it is already installed on the system.

All you need to store files on OneDrive is to have a Microsoft account. If you don't have it, it's worth it start. Then launch the OneDrive program (can be found through a search in the Control Panel) and log in to it using your account information. After this, a folder with the appropriate name (OneDrive) will appear on your computer. Now everything you put into it will automatically synchronize with Microsoft servers. The location of the synchronization folder can be changed in the program settings. For example, I transfer it to a second hard drive.

By the way, OneDrive can be easily installed in Windows 7. To do this, you need download from the official website.

Other cloud storage options for Windows 10

Below we will look at the most famous, reliable and authoritative cloud storage systems. There are a lot of clouds in the world now. Rumor has it that the Chinese even have a service with free space of 1 terabyte (although the Russian version never appeared there). But I will tell you about those services that I have worked with myself and that I trust. Of course, they are all fully compatible with Windows 10.

Google Drive - 15 GB free

A good alternative to cloud storage from Microsoft is the brainchild of their main competitor - cloud storage called Google Drive. I consider the advantages of this cloud:

• Belonging to a large international company allows you not to worry about the security of your files.
• Free space for data storage in Google Drive is 15 gigabytes. Very good, especially considering that this volume is three times larger than in OneDrive.

There are also some disadvantages: you will have to install this cloud storage yourself. However, it is not at all difficult. Enough to have create an account with Google and install on a computer running Windows 10 program to synchronize data with the cloud from Google.

Dropbox - free from 2 to 16 gigabytes of cloud storage

In fact, Dropbox was once a pioneer in the field of cloud storage. That's why I'm mentioning him on this list. So to speak, as a sign of respect for their past achievements in the field of free cloud storage. A few years ago, this cloud was the most famous and in demand. But today their free plan is unlikely to interest even a slightly sophisticated user.

A newbie here is now offered only 2 GB of free storage. This space can be expanded up to 16 gigabytes, receiving 500 MB for each person invited to the system. It is clear that assembling a team of 34 people is not easy - convincing people to join Dropbox will be difficult in the presence of such a competitor as Google Drive, which without any extra effort gives 15 gigabytes for free. In general, I personally don’t take Dropbox seriously for free storage.

To be fair, I note that for paid storage, this service is, if not the best, then one of the best. For example, in a paid account, if necessary, there is ability to restore previous versions of a file for a period of up to 30 days. I deleted the file and then needed it - please get it back and sign for it. Sometimes this is important, but personally I am not ready to pay for it. Moreover, the minimum cost of the tariff plan is $8.25 per month for 1 TB of storage (you can’t get a smaller amount for money here).

Yandex.Disk - free 10 gigabytes forever

If the user is an ardent patriot or categorically does not like Google, which offers 15 gigs of cloud storage for free, he can take advantage of the offer from Yandex. She offers forever 10 GB of free cloud any Internet user who has an account with her.

An additional 10 gigabytes here will cost 30 rubles monthly. If you need 100 gigabytes, then it will cost 80 rubles per month (let me remind you that One Drive asks 140 rubles for half the volume - 50GB). 1 TB costs 200 rubles monthly at Yandex (several times cheaper than Dropbox). The program is also fully compatible with Windows 10 and earlier versions of Microsoft OS. From time to time, Yandex comes up with interesting ways to increase your storage completely free of charge and permanently. For example, not long ago 30 GB were given for connecting auto-upload of photos from your phone to the Yandex cloud. Disk. In this case, you could turn on the function, get a bonus and immediately turn it off again. I myself successfully took advantage of this offer on two accounts at once. Messages about such promotions are usually sent to existing users of the service by email, so it makes sense to register there. If you already have an account on Yandex, then you have 10 GB of disk space there by default.

Cloud from Mail.ru - 8 gigabytes for free

The Mail.ru company provided the largest free disk space for cloud storage of all Russian services - 25 gigabytes. First they lowered it to 16 GB. Now it's only 8 GB. Personally, I have an absolutely subjective bias towards this entire Internet company and do not take their (spam) services seriously. That is why I will limit myself to mentioning this cloud and referring to it. official site without any details. The cloud is exclusively for avid Mail.ru fans.

Free 50 GB cloud for Windows 10!

I would not rush into purchasing paid cloud storage plans, if your needs do not exceed 50 gigabytes of files. The fact is that relatively recently (in January 2013) a new, very high-quality and professional storage facility called Mega . It was created by the famous Kim Dotcom, founder of the once famous free file upload resource Mega Upload. This citizen of the world is supported by the fact that the US authorities are extremely unhappy with him and are actively looking for him. He and his team, as I understand it, registered the Mega service in the New Zealand domain zone precisely for security reasons from attacks by American authorities. Mega has a unique data encryption mechanism directly in the user's browser. With this technology, even the creator of the service will not be able to decrypt your files without a password, which, by the way, must be stored especially carefully here, because precisely because of the high security Mega cloud storage password cannot be recovered: forgot your password - forget about your files on the Mega cloud forever.

Again, I’ll tell you about my experience. I have already mentioned that I store the most important and “light” personal files on the free OneDrive cloud, which is installed by default in Windows 10. For larger files, I use Yandex.Disk storage. And not at all because I’m a big fan of domestic software. It’s just that they gave me 200 gigabytes of storage completely free of charge because of one technical glitch on their part. It would be a sin not to take advantage of such a tempting offer without an expiration date. If I didn’t have this option, then I personally would use storage for storing large files Mega. Out of curiosity, I tested this service for three months and was very pleased.

How to create free cloud storage in Windows 10 using Mega as an example

Since the most best free cloud storage, in my opinion, due to the large space of 50 gigabytes is Mega, then I will describe in detail the installation and configuration of this particular program in Windows 10. In fact, it is no more difficult to understand all other clouds: all cloud storages work according to the same algorithm: first an account is created, then an application (program) for synchronization is installed on the computer. Don't be surprised that the images in the instructions will be slightly different from what is currently on the Mega website. This article would have been written in the spring of 2016, but in general nothing significant has changed there, so I haven’t changed the pictures yet.

So, to get a free cloud with a capacity of 50 gigabytes, first go to Mega official website and register in the system. All you need for this is your first name, last name, email address and password.

We fill in this data and in the letter that arrives in the mail, click “ Activate Account» (activate account).

After that, on the newly opened page, enter your password and thereby finally confirm your account.

Then, within a few seconds, your personal opening and closing key is generated in the browser. Then a window appears asking you to select a tariff plan. Of course we choose free with 50 GB space and unlimited data transfer. By unlimited transmission we mean the volume of traffic. At the same time, the maximum speed on the free plan is limited after downloading/uploading more than a certain amount of data per month (like 100 GB). This is a common practice on all not only free, but also paid clouds. For me personally, this is not a problem at all - on the contrary: reducing the synchronization speed allows you to spend less computer resources. This limitation may pose a problem only for those who host large files on the cloud for mass public downloading.

The picture shows the rates for spring 2016. Interestingly, at the moment (December 2017) on the last three, the volume has been doubled.

We will skip learning the web interface of the Mega cloud storage - if you wish, you can master it yourself in your free time. Now it’s enough to know that you can manage all your files in the cloud through a browser. For example, when you don’t have your own computer at hand, this is how you can log into your Mega account from someone else’s PC and download the necessary files.

We are now interested in how to organize synchronization of the cloud with your Windows 10 system. To do this, you need to download the program. Go to the Menu, select “Applications” → “Synchronization Applications”.

Download and run the MEGAsyncSetup.exe program. I won’t describe how to install it, since everything is very clear there.

After installation, leave a checkmark on the Run program item and it will automatically start working. A round red icon with a white letter M will appear in the tray on the right. Now we need to log in by entering our e-mail and password.

After this, you need to choose what to synchronize. Select "Full synchronization". This does not mean that all files from the computer will fly to the cloud, but it means only one thing: all folders and files that you put in the Mega folder will be synchronized with the cloud.

In the next step, we can change where the Mega folder will be located on the computer. Personally, I prefer to store it directly in the root of drive D. To do this, I first create a folder on the disk called MEGA, and then find and select it using the “Edit” button. You can select any other location and create your own folder in it. After this, in the program you need to click “Forward” and then “Finish”.

That's all. Now you have as much as 50 gigabytes of free cloud storage for your files on Windows 10. If, like me, you also use the OneDrive cloud, then the total cloud space will be 55 GB.