iCloud Drive is a cloud-based file management platform between all your devices like iPad, iPhone and Mac. As an apple customer, you are automatically entitled to 5GB of free storage space.
However, iCloud Drive is different from other types of cloud storage like Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive as it has its own highly useful features that make it one of its own kinds. Do you know from where you can access all the documents and data that you store in iCloud Drive?
iCloud Drive stores files in application-specific folders, and, while you can open some files with other apps, there are limits as to how you can move them around and access them.
To access Files located on your Mac using an iPhone and iPad, you will first need to make sure that iCloud Drive has the permission to access Files located on the Desktop and Documents Folder of your Mac. Once you grant this permission, accessing Files located on your Mac using an iOS device will become easy.
Here’s a guide to using iCloud Drive on Mac, iPad & iPhone.
Allow iCloud Drive to Access Files on your Mac:
You can follow the steps below to provide iCloud Drive with access to Files located on your Mac.
- Click the Apple menu button on the top left of your screen.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click iCloud.
- Click the checkbox next to Find My Mac to enable it, and click Next.
- On the next screen, click on the box next to iCloud Drive on your Mac.
- Next, click on the Options button located next to iCloud Drive.
- On the next window, make sure that you are on the Documents tab and then checkmark the option for Desktop & Documents Folder.
- Now, wait for the existing files located on the Desktop and Documents Folder on your Mac to be copied to iCloud Drive and then click on Done.
Once you provide iCloud Drive with access to “Desktop and Documents Folder” on your Mac, all the files on the Desktop and on the Documents Folder of your Mac will be accessible on iCloud Drive. Similarly, any new file, document or image that you place in the Documents Folder or on the Desktop of your Mac will instantly become available on iCloud Drive, making it easy to access these files using your iPhone or iPad.
Note: You may be asked to upgrade your iCloud Storage Plan in case the Files on your Mac require more than 5 GB storage as available in Free iCloud Storage Plan.
Access Files On Mac Using iPhone or iPad:
Follow the steps below to access files, images and documents located on the Desktop and on the Documents Folders on your Mac using an iPhone or iPad.
- Open the iCloud Drive on your iPhone or iPad.
- You will be prompted to sign-in to iCloud using your Apple ID and Password, in case you are not already signed-in.
Note: You will need to sign-in with the same Apple ID and Password that you had used for signing into iCloud Drive on Mac.
- Once you are logged in, you will see two new folders: Desktop and Documents.
- You can access any file, document or image located on the Desktop of your Mac by clicking on the Desktop Folder.
- Similarly, you can access any file, document or image stored in the Documents Folder on your Mac by tapping on the Documents Folder.
I do hope this tutorial helps you get more out of using iCloud Drive on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Also Read: How To Track Your Lost Or Stolen Mac With Find My Mac