iCloud Drive
Keep those files where you can see them
Another string to the iCloud bow is Cloud Drive – an all-purpose file repository within your iCloud storage. Every relevant app has its own folder there to store documents, and you can add folders of your own.
Your iCloud Drive appears in macOS, when ticked in System Preferences > iCloud, as a sidebar item in Finder windows, under Favourites. In iOS, when turned on in iCloud after opening Settings and tapping your name, it’s accessed through the Files app. You’ll see the same
folder structure everywhere, with the same files synced. As with photos, ‘synced’ by default means the files are stored on Apple’s servers and copies are automatically downloaded to each device’s own storage.
Storage options
But there may not be room on your devices for copies of all the files you have in iCloud. So in iOS, iCloud Drive storage is always optimised, meaning only files you’ve recently used are kept on the device; others are shown in Files, but only downloaded when you try to open them. This is indicated on each file icon by a cloud symbol with an arrow. If you’ll need a certain file when offline, keep it open in an app or move it to On My iPhone or On My iPad, as shown in step 4 on the opposite page.
By contrast, macOS will try to keep local copies of everything in iCloud Drive. If it’s taking up too much space, turn on Optimise Mac Storage in System Preferences > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Options. Here you can also see which apps use iCloud Drive by default, and you can opt to sync your Desktop and Documents folders, so all the files you keep there are accessible everywhere. That may be overkill, though.
In iOS, after you install an app for a a third-party cloud service, such as Google Drive, you’ll find the Files app’s Locations screen gains a More Locations item. Tap this to add the new service to Files. This doesn’t mean your files on that service are copied over to iCloud, just that you can view and search them all in one app.
to save space in iOs, iCloud Drive storage is always optimised