Add together your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Bulldoze

Larn how to share your files from your Mac Desktop and your Documents binder to all of your devices with iCloud Bulldoze.

Desktop of a MacBook Air running macOS Big Sur showing iCloud Drive. And an iPhone 12 Pro running iOS 14 showing the iCloud Drive Desktop.

Turn on Desktop and Documents

Plough on Desktop and Documents on every Mac that you want to utilise with iCloud Drive.

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple tree ID, then click iCloud. In macOS Mojave or before, choose Apple menu  > Organization Preferences, so click iCloud.
  2. Make sure that iCloud Drive is turned on.
  3. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  4. Cull Desktop & Documents Folders.
    iCloud Drive Options screen on a Mac that shows the Desktop & Documents Folders option selected.
  5. Click Done.

If you lot want to store your files in iCloud Bulldoze and another cloud storage service, you tin can keep copies of your files in both, but you can't go along folders from a third-political party cloud service in iCloud Bulldoze. Y'all can go on your other cloud service folders in a different place on your Mac, like the dwelling house folder.

If you lot already apply a feature from another deject provider that syncs or manages your Desktop and Documents folders, y'all need to plough it off to employ Desktop and Documents.

Find your Desktop and Documents files on all of your devices

When you add your Desktop and Documents to iCloud Drive, all of your files motility to iCloud and any new files you lot create are automatically stored in iCloud too. Then yous can detect your files on all of your devices.

Your files upload to iCloud each fourth dimension your device connects to the Internet. Depending on your Internet speed, the time it takes for you to see your files on your other devices might vary.

On your Mac

You can find your Desktop and Documents folders in the iCloud department of the Finder sidebar. If you add together a second Mac Desktop, you tin can find those files in the Desktop folder in iCloud Bulldoze. Look for a binder with the same proper noun every bit your second Mac. You tin can as well use Spotlight to search for specific file names.

On your iPhone, iPad, and iPod impact

You can discover the files in the Files app in iOS 11 or after. Y'all can utilize any compatible app to access and edit your files direct on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

If you're using iOS ix or iOS 10, you can access your files in the iCloud Bulldoze app.

On iCloud.com

  1. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple tree ID on your iPad, Mac, or PC.
  2. Go to iCloud Drive.
  3. Double-click the Desktop or Documents folder.

If you want to use the file or make edits, just click and download it to your iPad or computer. When you're done making edits, upload the file to iCloud Drive to run across the latest version everywhere.

Shop your files in iCloud and save space on your device

The files that you go on in iCloud Drive use your iCloud storage. And every bit long as you accept enough space in iCloud, y'all tin store every bit many files as you lot similar.

If you need more space, yous can delete files to free up space in iCloud. When yous use iCloud Bulldoze and delete a file on one device, information technology deletes on every device that you're signed in to with the same Apple tree ID. You lot can find deleted files in the Recently Deleted folder in the Files app or on iCloud.com for 30 days. After that, they're removed.

Learn more most how to manage your iCloud storage.

Turn off Desktop and Documents

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple bill of fare  > System Preferences. Click Apple tree ID, so click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple tree bill of fare  > System Preferences, and then click iCloud.
  2. Side by side to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  4. Click Done.

What happens when you plow off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You lot can movement files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you demand them, or select all of your files and elevate them to the identify yous want to keep them.

What happens when you turn off iCloud Bulldoze or sign out of iCloud

If you plough off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, a new Desktop and Documents binder is created in your domicile folder. Y'all also have the pick to go on a local re-create of your files that are in iCloud Drive. If you keep a local copy of your files in iCloud Drive, they're copied to a folder chosen iCloud Bulldoze (Archive) in your home folder. Yous can move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents to your new local Desktop and Documents.

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