We’re busy juggling all kinds of gadgets these days. And if you're tired trying to remember if it's your iPhone or iPad that has that important doc or cherished photo on it — we're here to help.

That's because we've got all the tips you need to sync up your Apple tech, so your apps and content are always up-to-date and accessible on both devices. Let’s get them connected…

There are a few good reasons why you should keep your Apple devices working in perfect harmony:

• Access your data everywhere: If your iPhone and iPad are synced, then it means you can access your data on either device. Including your Contacts, Emails, Notes, Calendar events, and more.

• Stay up-to-date: When you update someone's contact details or set a reminder on one device, syncing makes sure that those changes are reflected on the other. This can make your life a lot easier, as you don’t have to waste time repeating those steps.

• Backup your data: Syncing your iPhone and iPad also ensures your data's getting backed up regularly. This can be really important if you ever lose or damage one of your two devices, as it'll mean everything will still be available on the other one.

• Boost your productivity: Having your Apple tech synced can speed up your workflow too. Got some great ideas for an upcoming presentation? Jot them down in the Notes app on your iPhone during your commute home. Then when you get back, just pick up where you left off on your iPad.

iCloud is Apple's very own free and secure cloud storage service, which comes built into your iPhone and iPad. It works quietly in the background backing up your data so its accessible and shared between your iOS devices. As long as they're connected to the internet and using the same Apple ID.

It's basically what connects your gadgets in the Apple ecosystem. And if you haven't set up iCloud yet, here's a simple step-by-step guide that'll get your iPhone and iPad talking:

1. Open the Settings app: Do this on both your iPhone and iPad.

2. Tap on your name: You'll find this at the top of the Settings menu.

3. Select 'iCloud': Just choose this option on each of your devices.

4. Toggle on the apps you want to sync: This can include Photos, Contacts, Reminders, and more. Make sure these are the same on both your iPhone and iPad.

Once you've sorted out your iCloud settings, your iPhone and iPad should stay in sync and keep most of your content identical across both devices.

How to check and manage iCloud storage

While iCloud is free, the 5GB of storage you get can fill up fast if you're backing up loads of your iPhone and iPad data — especially big photo files. To make sure everything’s still getting backed up, you should often keep an eye on how much iCloud storage you have left.

If you're not sure how to do this, just follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings: Open the app and click on your name at the top

2. Choose 'iCloud': Tap on this option from near the top of the list.

3. Select 'Manage Account Storage': Here, you'll see a breakdown of which files and apps are eating up your storage space.

If you're close to the limit, don't just wait for iCloud to become full. Get ahead of the game by:

• Upgrading to iCloud+: To get extra storage, you can upgrade to an iCloud+ plan for a small monthly fee. The smallest 50GB storage plan costs only 99p per month.

• Cleaning up your iCloud Drive: Do a spring clean by removing old files and docs you don't need anymore. If you're backing up photos to iCloud, deleting any pics and videos you don't want to keep can make a big difference.

• Deleting old backups: Removing iCloud backups of Apple devices you no longer use (like an old iPhone) will help free up space.

Now that you’ve got iCloud set up, switch on Automatic Downloads on your iPhone and iPad too. This makes sure that any content purchased on one device magically appears on the other — like Music, Apps, and Books. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open your Settings: Have the app loaded up on both your iPhone and iPad.

2. Tap on 'App Store': You'll have to scroll down a little to find this. It might also appear as 'iTunes & App Store' instead (depending on your device).

3. Turn on apps to sync: Under 'Automatic Downloads', you can activate App Downloads and App Updates by moving the toggle switches to the on position.

With this neat feature turned on, you won't have to manually download that cool new app or song you just bought on your other device. It'll be ready to fire up or play straight away. Nice!

iCloud might be the most straightforward way of syncing your iPhone and iPad, especially as you only need your Apple ID to link them up. But there's another cloud storage service that can help you manage your files across devices too — Dropbox.

It's one of the biggest file sharing platforms out there, and it also plays well with non-Apple tech. This makes it a more versatile option if you use other devices running on different operating systems, like Android or Windows.

Here's how to set up Dropbox for syncing your iPhone and iPad:

1. Download the Dropbox app: Make sure you do this on both devices.

2. Sign in to Dropbox: Use the same account on your iPhone and iPad. If you don't have a login already, create one for free.

3. Turn on camera uploads: This is so you can automatically transfer your photos from your iPhone and iPad directly to Dropbox, saving precious storage space on your devices.

But it doesn't just back up your photos. That's because when you download Dropbox, it'll also create a folder in your iPhone and iPad's Files app automatically. This is where downloads and files you create are stored on your Apple devices, either locally or in the cloud.

Having Dropbox in the Files app means you can access all your stuff in one easy place. Plus, it lets you move files seamlessly from your device or even iCloud over to Dropbox.

Yep, iTunes is still a thing. And if you prefer a more hands-on approach or have limited internet connectivity, you can sync your iPhone and iPad via iTunes (or Finder on newer Macs): To do this, simply:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer: Using the USB-C cable that came with your phone.

2. Open iTunes: Fire up the app or open the Finder if you're on a Mac running macOS Catalina or later.

3. Click on your device: This should appear in the top left of your iTunes or Finder window.

4. Choose 'Back Up now': This stores a copy of your iPhone's data on your computer. Once completed, unplug your phone.

5. Plug in your iPad: Then click on its icon in the same place on iTunes or Finder.

6. Select 'Restore Backup': Pick your iPhone's recent backup and click 'Restore'.

This method gives you more control over what gets synced and is especially useful for transferring large files or syncing your entire music library. But we'd recommend the iCloud or Dropbox methods more than this, as they're always keeping your data backed up and synced in the background.

Need more advice?

Now that you know how to sync up your iPhone and iPad, why not learn more ways to hook your Apple gadgets up to other tech? We've got tips on how to connect AirPods to your laptop. And if you need a hand getting your Apple Watch talking to your iPhone, check out our guide on how to connect your smartwatch to your phone.