iCloud Drive: how to manage your files on iOS and Mac

Work with files on OS X and iOS, and even recover what you’ve deleted

When apple introduced iCloud Drive, it integrated it into OS X’s Finder, making it simple to add files to and retrieve them from your online storage. The iCloud Drive app added in iOS 9 allows for file management on iPhone or iPad.

When it comes to working with files, there’s a handful of tips and tricks that are worth knowing. Moving them to iCloud Drive on your Mac is easy: drag and drop them onto its row in Finder’s sidebar, or click that row and then drag and drop items onto a folder within.

The iCloud Drive app for iOS is straightforward, yet it provides several ways to get certain things done. It gives you two ways to view your files and folders: as large icons or in a list. To switch between them, go to the top level of your iCloud Drive, then tap the bulleted list icon (top right).

There are three ways to sort your files and folders: by date, name, or tags. To use tags, you’ll need to create and attach them in OS X, as there’s no way to do so in iOS. In OS X, click iCloud Drive in Finder’s sidebar, right-click a file, then choose Tags in the contextual menu. The easiest way to create tags is in Finder > Preferences > Tags.

Back in the iOS app, the list view enables you to move a file by tapping the “i” to the right of its name, then the toolbar’s folder icon, and choosing a folder. You can move multiple files by tapping Select at the top of the screen, then the items to move, and finally Move at the bottom of the screen. A third option for moving files is to swipe left over a file’s row in list view and tap More, then “Move to Folder.” In icon view, hold a finger on a file, choose More when the options bar appears, then tap Move to Folder. The Select and swipe methods also let you delete files.

If you delete files from iCloud Drive, you can recover them for up to 30 days after deletion. See how on the opposite page.