Keep those files where you can see them
NOTHER STRING TO
Athe iCloud bow is Cloud Drive — an all–purpose file repository within your iCloud storage. Every relevant app has its own folder there, and you can add folders of your own.
Your iCloud Drive appears in macOS, when checked in System Preferences > iCloud, as a sidebar item in Finder windows, under Favorites. 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” means the files are stored on Apple’s servers and copies are downloaded to a device’s storage.
STORAGE OPTIONS
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 optimized, meaning only files you’ve recently used are kept on the device; others are shown in Files, but only downloaded when opened. This is indicated on each file icon by a cloud symbol with an arrow. If you’ll need a file when offline, keep it open in an app or move it to On My iPhone or On My iPad (step 4 opposite).
By contrast, macOS will try to keep local copies of everything in iCloud Drive. If it’s taking up too much space, turn on Optimize Mac Storage in System Preferences > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Options. Here you can also see which apps use iCloud Drive by default, and you can sync your Desktop and Documents folders, so files there are accessible everywhere.
In iOS, after you install an app for a third–party cloud service, 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.