Apple tells you a number of things that iCloud syncs between devices in Settings (or System Preferences) > iCloud, such as Photos, Contacts, and Reminders. But I’ve noticed a number of other OS-level things that sync between my devices (presumably through iCloud), but Apple doesn’t seem to keep a central, comprehensive list. Let’s make one.
For brevity’s sake, you can replace Settings (iOS) with System Preferences (Mac) in most cases. Let me know if I should add any:
- Text shortcuts in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement
- Signatures in Preview for Mac, under Tools > Signatures (iOS doesn’t have Preview yet, but they appear in Mail if you tap a PDF, then the toolbox at the top. A reply is created and PDF tools appear. Check the bar at the bottom for your signatures)
- Stocks
- Weather
- Wifi connections / Settings, if iCloud Keychain is enabled (thanks John Morrison)
- Favorites you mark in Maps with the share sheet (a great way to keep track of businesses, the day’s errands, or vacation spots without junking up Contacts)
- Searches in Maps
- Learned Dictionary words. I think
- Playback positions in Apple’s Podcasts app
- Blocked numbers between Messages on all devices and Phone.app (thanks Seth Clifford)
- Call history between iPhones, or on iPad and Mac in FaceTime > Audio (thanks @Ezenwa)
- Safari tabs
- Safari history (multiple commenters and Twitter folks have mentioned this one, but it doesn’t work for me. Yay iCloud?)
- Safari’s RSS subscriptions in the Shared Links section (a great, underused feature. Thanks Zsolt Benke)
- Reading position in iBooks (thanks Arthur)
- VIP lists in Mail (used for priority notifications from threads and people who you just can’t miss)
- Signatures in Mail (multiple mentions of this, but it doesn’t work for me. Yay iCloud)
- Smart Folders in Mail between Macs (thanks Michael Evans-Brown)
- Favorites in Apple’s Trailers app (honorable mention, since it’s Apple but not installed by default – thanks Joshua)
- HomeKit settings and devices (thanks Joshua)