Manage your documents in files

Files isn’t just the iCloud Drive app renamed, though it is how you access that service in iOS 11. It’s also a means to access other storage on your device, such as Dropbox, iCab’s Downloads folder, or storage on macOS Server, and it works a lot like Finder on the Mac. Storage apps released before iOS 11 work with it, but appear in a small window on iPad rather than using all of the right pane – be sure to check for updates in the App Store! The Browse tab

Each section of this tab’s sidebar can be collapsed by tapping its headline. The right pane browses whatever you tapped last in the sidebar. Swipe beyond the top items in it to: create a folder; sort by name, date modified, size, or tags; or toggle between icon and list views. Storage locations

Tap Edit at the top of the sidebar to choose which locations are listed. iCloud Drive’s probably there already, and you can enable others and rearrange them. Recently deleted

This is a quick way to recover items for a short time after you remove them from iCloud Drive. Beware that even if a third-party provider’s app is updated to use Files’ features, items on its storage may be deleted immediately. Recover a file

In Recently Deleted, hold a finger on an item – very lightly on an iPhone with 3D Touch – only till its icon grows.

Let go and a bar appears with options to recover the item to its original location or delete it for good. You can also drag and drop items to recover to a different place. Pin favorite folders

Momentarily hold your finger on a folder, then tap Favorite in the options bar that appears to create a shortcut to it. Tap Edit to reorder or remove items, or use drag and drop to rearrange on iPad. Do things with files

To share, duplicate, move, or delete items, tap Select, tap them, and then an option in the bar at the screen’s bottom. Moving or deleting files can also be done by starting to drag them, browsing to a folder, and letting go. Or, drop them on a favorite/Recently Deleted in the sidebar. Share files

Tap Select, one or more files, then the Share icon (iPhone) or Share (in the bottom bar on iPad). Or, hold a finger on a file for a moment, then tap Share. Tag a file or folder

In a file or folder’s options bar, tap Tags to reveal existing tags or to make a new one. Assign one or more, then tap outside the panel to close it. Up to three tag colors are shown next to an item’s name; to see all of an item’s assigned tags, tap Info in its options bar. Quickly select all or most

Tap Select, then Select All. Next, tap items you don’t want selected to clear each one’s check mark, then drag any of the rest to pick up all of them. The Recents tab

The first group here contains files you’ve used recently. It’s followed by files you’re collaborating on with others. Past that are groups for tags you’ve used. fast access to recent files

Hold your finger on Files’ Home screen icon (or press firmly on an iPhone with 3D Touch) for a widget of recently used files. Though widgets like this are normally only available on iPhones with 3D Touch, this one’s available on iPad. To day view widget

You can also add a recent files widget to the Today view. Swipe left from the first Home screen or the Cover Sheet, scroll to the bottom, tap Edit, then tap the + next to Files under More Widgets.