Use ICloud Drive To Store Documents On Your Mac, IPhone, And IPad

Mac User Guide Open Menu Close Menu
  • Communities
macOS Tahoe 26 macOS Sequoia 15 macOS Sonoma 14 macOS Ventura 13 macOS Monterey 12 macOS Big Sur 11.0 macOS Catalina 10.15 macOS Mojave 10.14 macOS High Sierra Select version: macOS Tahoe 26 macOS Sequoia 15 macOS Sonoma 14 macOS Ventura 13 macOS Monterey 12 macOS Big Sur 11.0 macOS Catalina 10.15 macOS Mojave 10.14 macOS High Sierra Modifying this control will update this page automatically Search this guide Clear Search Table of Contents
  • Welcome
  • About your Mac model
    • MacBook Air
    • MacBook Pro
    • iMac
    • Mac mini
    • Mac Studio
    • Mac Pro
  • What’s new in macOS Tahoe
  • Get to know the desktop
    • Work on the desktop
    • What’s in the menu bar?
    • Quickly change settings
    • What’s in the Apple menu?
    • Search with Spotlight
    • How to use Siri
    • Get notifications
    • Open apps from the Dock
    • Organize your files in the Finder
  • Mac basics
    • Connect to the internet
    • Sign in to your Apple Account
    • Set up iCloud
    • Browse the web
    • Preview a file
    • Take a screenshot
    • Change your display’s brightness
    • Adjust the volume
    • Use trackpad and mouse gestures
    • Use Touch ID
    • Print documents
    • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Apps
    • Apps on your Mac
    • Open apps
    • Work with app windows
    • Tile app windows
    • Use apps in full screen
    • Use apps in Split View
    • Use Stage Manager
    • Get apps from the App Store
    • Install and reinstall apps from the App Store
    • Install and uninstall other apps
  • Files and folders
    • Create and work with documents
    • Open documents
    • Mark up files
    • Combine files into a PDF
    • Organize files on your desktop
    • Organize files with folders
    • Tag files and folders
    • Back up files
    • Restore files
  • Personalize your Mac
    • Change System Settings
    • Choose your desktop picture
    • Add and customize widgets
    • Use a screen saver
    • Add a user or group
    • Add your email and other accounts
    • Automate tasks with Shortcuts
    • Create Memoji
    • Change your login picture
    • Change the system language
    • Increase the size of what’s on your screen
  • Get to know Siri
    • Find out what Siri can do
      • Get information with Siri
      • Call, text, and email with Siri
      • Play music and podcasts with Siri
      • Control your Apple devices and smart home accessories with Siri
      • Use Siri with apps
    • Turn on and activate Siri
    • Customize Siri
  • Apple Intelligence
    • Intro to Apple Intelligence
    • Translate messages and calls
    • Create original images with Image Playground
    • Create your own emoji with Genmoji
    • Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
    • Find the right words with Writing Tools
    • Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
    • Use Apple Intelligence with apps
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Mail
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Messages
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Notes
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Phone
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Photos
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Reminders
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Safari
      • Use Apple Intelligence in Shortcuts
    • Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
    • Apple Intelligence and privacy
    • Block access to Apple Intelligence features
  • Beyond Mac basics
    • Set up a Focus to stay on task
    • Block pop-ups in Safari
    • Use Dictation
    • Perform quick actions with hot corners
    • Send emails
    • Send text messages
    • Make a FaceTime call
    • Edit photos and videos
    • Use Live Text to interact with text in a photo
    • Start a Quick Note
    • Get directions
  • Use Apple devices together
    • Intro to Continuity
    • Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
    • Hand off tasks between devices
    • Control your iPhone from your Mac
    • Copy and paste between devices
    • Stream video and audio with AirPlay
    • Make and receive calls and text messages on your Mac
    • Use your iPhone internet connection with your Mac
    • Share your Wi-Fi password with another device
    • Use iPhone as a webcam
    • Insert sketches, photos, and scans from iPhone or iPad
    • Unlock your Mac with Apple Watch
    • Use your iPad as a second display
    • Use one keyboard and mouse to control Mac and iPad
    • Sync music, books, and more between devices
  • Apple Account and iCloud
    • Manage Apple Account settings
    • Set your Apple Account picture
    • What is iCloud?
    • What is iCloud+?
    • Store files in iCloud Drive
    • Share and collaborate on files and folders
    • Manage iCloud storage
    • Use iCloud Photos
  • Screen Time
    • Get started with Screen Time
    • Set up Screen Time for yourself
    • Set up Screen Time for a child
    • Track app and device usage
    • Set time limits for apps and websites
    • Set up content and privacy restrictions
  • Family Sharing
    • Set up Family Sharing
    • Get Family Sharing recommendations
    • Add family members to a Family Sharing group
    • Remove family members from a Family Sharing group
    • Manage sharing and parental settings
    • Share a Photo Library
    • Collaborate on projects
    • Find content shared with you
    • Find your family and friends
  • Watch, play, and learn
    • Play music
    • Watch and listen together with SharePlay
    • Listen to podcasts
    • Watch TV shows and movies
    • Read and listen to books
    • Read the news
    • Write in your journal
    • Track stocks and the market
    • Play games on your Mac
    • Subscribe to Apple services
      • Apple Music
      • Apple TV
      • Apple Arcade
      • Apple News+
      • Apple Podcasts
      • Manage subscriptions in the App Store
      • View your family subscriptions
  • Use accessories and hardware
    • Connect an external display
    • Use the camera
    • Connect a wireless accessory
    • Connect a printer to your Mac
    • Connect AirPods to your Mac
    • Optimize your Mac battery life
    • Optimize storage space
    • Burn CDs and DVDs
    • Control accessories in your home
    • Run Windows on your Mac
  • Accessibility
    • Get started
    • General
      • Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
      • Change Shortcut settings for accessibility
      • Allow accessibility apps to access your Mac
      • Turn on accessibility options in the login window
      • Use Accessibility settings while sharing screens
    • Vision
      • Accessibility features for vision
      • Get started with VoiceOver
      • Zoom in on your surroundings
      • Zoom in on what’s onscreen
      • Make text and icons bigger
      • Adjust the display colors
      • View a larger version of colors or text
      • Read or listen to text in apps
      • Customize onscreen motion
    • Hearing
      • Accessibility features for hearing
      • Get live captions of spoken audio
      • Use subtitles and closed captions
      • Use Name Recognition
      • Use hearing devices with your Mac
      • Play background sounds
      • Change Audio settings for accessibility
    • Mobility
      • Accessibility features for mobility
      • Get started with Voice Control
      • Use the Accessibility Keyboard
      • Use Full Keyboard Access
      • Use Switch Control
      • Use head pointer
      • Use Dwell
    • Speech
      • Accessibility features for speech
      • Have what you type spoken out loud
      • Create a Personal Voice
      • Use Vocal Shortcuts
      • Have your Mac speak text that’s on the screen
      • Change Siri settings for accessibility
  • Privacy and security
    • Control what you share
    • Set up your Mac to be secure
    • Allow apps to see the location of your Mac
    • Use Private Browsing
    • Keep your data safe
    • Understand passwords
    • Change weak or compromised passwords
    • Use Mail Privacy Protection
    • Use Sign in with Apple for apps and websites
    • Find a missing device
  • Restart, update, reset, and restore
    • Shut down or restart your Mac
    • Start up your Mac in safe mode
    • Keep your Mac up to date
    • Reinstall macOS
    • Erase your Mac
  • Resources for your Mac
  • Resources for your Apple devices
  • Copyright and trademarks

With iCloud Drive, you can safely store all kinds of documents in iCloud, and access them from any of your devices and on the web at iCloud.com.

You can use iCloud Drive on Mac computers (OS X 10.10 or later), iOS devices (iOS 8 or later), iPadOS devices, and Windows computers with iCloud for Windows (Windows 7 or later required). You must be signed in to the same Apple Account on all your devices, and they must meet the minimum system requirements. See the Apple Support article System requirements for iCloud.

Note: If you have devices with iCloud Drive turned off, documents and data on those devices aren’t kept up to date with documents and data on your devices with iCloud Drive turned on.

To set up iCloud Drive on the web, an iPhone, an iPad, or a Windows computer, see Set up iCloud Drive on all your devices in the iCloud User Guide.

Set up iCloud Drive

If you haven’t yet set up iCloud Drive on this Mac, you can do it now in iCloud settings.

  1. Go to the System Settings app on your Mac.

  2. Click your name at the top of the sidebar.

    If you don’t see your name, click “Sign in,” enter your Apple Account email address or phone number, then enter your password.

    Open Apple Account settings for me

  3. Click iCloud, click Drive, then turn on “Sync this Mac.”

  4. Click Done.

Store your Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud Drive

You can have all the files in your Desktop and Documents folders stored automatically in iCloud Drive. That way, you can save files right where you usually keep them, and they become available on all your devices and iCloud.com.

WARNING: When you turn on iCloud Drive to update your Desktop and Documents folders, you may need to turn off any other third-party app or cloud service that syncs those folders. Syncing by other third-party apps or cloud services can interfere with or stop the updating performed by iCloud Drive. See Store your folders with a third party.

  1. Go to the System Settings app on your Mac.

  2. Click your name at the top of the sidebar.

    If you don’t see your name, click “Sign in,” enter your Apple Account email address or phone number, then enter your password.

    Open Apple Account settings for me

  3. Click iCloud, click Drive, then make sure iCloud Drive is turned on.

  4. Turn on Optimize Mac Storage.

  5. Click Done.

If you can’t move or save a document to iCloud Drive

If you can’t move or save a document to iCloud Drive, your iCloud storage space may be full. The document stays on your Mac, and is uploaded to iCloud Drive when space becomes available.

iCloud Drive shares your iCloud storage with iCloud Photos, iPhone and iPad backups, messages and attachments in iCloud Mail, and more.

To get more space, do the following:

  • Upgrade your storage. See Manage iCloud storage.

  • Remove items you don’t need to store in iCloud Drive.

See alsoWork with folders and files in iCloud DriveOptimize storage space on your MacApple Support article: Set up iCloud DriveApple Support article: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive Helpful? Yes No Character limit: 250 Please don’t include any personal information in your comment. Maximum character limit is 250. Submit Thanks for your feedback.

Tag » How To Cd To Icloud Drive On Mac