iCloud Drive on Mac

With iCloud Drive, you have access to all of the files that you're currently storing and syncing in Apple's iCloud storage service. On iOS, you can find your folders and documents in the Files app in iOS 11 or the iCloud Drive app in iOS 10 and older. On the Mac, you can access iCloud Drive on the web or via a Finder window. Here's how.

How to enable iCloud Drive on your Mac

If you haven't already enabled iCloud Drive on your Mac, you can do so manually at any time.

  1. Click on the Apple menu icon in the upper left corner of your Mac.

  2. Click on System Preferences.

    Click on the Apple Menu, then click on System Preferences

  3. Click on iCloud.

  4. Tick the box for iCloud Drive to enable it.

    Click on iCloud, then tick the box to enable iCloud Drive

How to access iCloud Drive from a web browser

You can access all of your iCloud files right from the web on any device, even a PC.

  1. Navigate to iCloud.com from your web browser.
  2. Enter the email address and password associated with your Apple ID.

  3. Click or tap on the Arrow next to the password.

    Enter your Apple ID and password, then click the arrow

  4. If prompted, enter the verification code sent to your trusted device for two-factor authentication.

  5. Click on iCloud Drive.

    Enter your verification code, then click on iCloud Drive

You can view files from the web browser and either download them onto your Mac, move them to a different folder, email them, or delete them.

How to access iCloud Drive from Finder on your Mac

You can also access iCloud Drive right on your Mac without having to use a browser in a Finder window.

  1. Launch Finder on your Mac.
  2. Click on iCloud Drive in the Finder sidebar.

  3. Double-click on any file to open it.

    Click on Finder, then click on iCloud Drive

You can also search for iCloud Drive in Spotlight to quickly find iCloud Drive on your Mac.

How to disable iCloud Drive on Mac

If you don't want to keep iCloud Drive on your Mac, you can disable it the same way you enabled it.

  1. Click on the Apple menu icon in the upper left corner of your Mac.

  2. Click on System Preferences.

    Click on the Apple Menu, then click on System Preferences

  3. Click on iCloud.

  4. Untick the box for iCloud Drive to disable it.

    Click on iCloud, then tick the box to enable iCloud Drive

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about setting up and accessing iCloud Drive on your Mac? Put them in the comments and we'll help you out.

Check out our iCloud Drive ultimate guide for more how-tos

macOS Catalina

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