Cross-platform syncing with iCloud
I’m delighted with my new MacBook Pro, but I still use a Windows PC too, so I’d like to use iCloud to keep files and folders synchronised between them. Is it possible to automatically update changed files on my PC to iCloud, and with my Mac too? I want to keep originals on my PC, and have them copied to my iCloud Drive. [ KEVIN DUFFY ]
Howard Oakley replies: There are two ways to use iCloud for this type of synchronisation. The simpler way is to work on the files in iCloud, and only make local copies for backups and archives. This is easier because you don’t have to do any synchronisation, just pull down copies when you want to back them up locally. You can
use iCloud Drive as a means of synchronising local copies, as you’ve said you would prefer. Of the two methods, this is inevitably the more complicated option, as it requires local software that copies from each computer whenever you make changes to the local copy of each file. If you’re not careful, the iCloud copy won’t be up to date, and you could end up with different versions of files on your Mac and PC. To implement the second method, you’ll need folder synchronisation software running on both your Mac and your PC. It must be able to see your iCloud Drive so it can copy to it, and it must run automatically. For your Mac, the Mac App Store has good options, such as Folder Sync ($13.99).