With iCloud Drive, you can store any type of file in your iCloud storage. But how you access all the files in iCloud Drive will change depending on whether you’re using an iPhone, Mac, Windows PC, or Android device.
How to access iCloud Drive files on iPhone or iPad
On iOS or iPadOS, it’s easy to sync all kinds of data with iCloud, from backups to calendar events and photos. Most of these options are built into your device’s operating system, which is why you can find your iCloud photos directly in the Photos app.
Similarly, you can access all your iCloud Drive files using the built-in Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
Use the Files app to view iCloud Drive files on your iPhone or iPad
The Files app is an intuitive file browser that you can pair with a range of cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox. You can even use Files to view documents stored locally on your device.
To access iCloud Drive files in the Files app:
- Open Files on your iPhone or iPad.
- Go to the Browse tab from the bottom. You will see a list of Locations .
- Tap iCloud Drive to see all the files in your iCloud account.
- To download, tap a file and open it. Also, tap and hold on a file to see a pop-up menu with more functions like rename, copy or delete.
How to manage iCloud storage on iPhone or iPad
Whether you want to free up some space or buy more storage, you can manage your iCloud storage from your iPhone or iPad’s settings. Open Settings and tap [your name] at the top, then tap iCloud .
You can see an overview of your iCloud storage usage at the top of the page. Tap Manage Account Storage for more details, then tap Buy More Storage or Change Storage Plan if you want more iCloud storage.
Also, scroll through the list and tap on each app to see its iCloud data deletion options. This will delete the app data for every device connected to your iCloud account.
How to access iCloud Drive files on Mac
Just like on an iPhone or iPad, you need to use different apps to access iCloud data on your Mac. Open the Photos app to see your iCloud photos, open the Notes app to see your iCloud Notes, and use the Finder to access your iCloud Drive files.
Use the Finder to view iCloud Drive files on your Mac
Finder is the best way to find and manage all the files on your Mac or iCloud Drive. You can even combine the two by enabling the Desktop & Documents Folders option in your iCloud Drive settings to sync those folders from your Mac to iCloud.
To view iCloud Drive folders on your Mac, open a new Finder window and select iCloud Drive from the left sidebar.
If you don’t see the iCloud Drive option, go to Finder > Settings from the menu bar. Then go to the Sidebar tab from the pop-up window and activate the iCloud Drive option.
How to manage iCloud storage on Mac
To manage your iCloud storage on your Mac, go to System Settings > [Your Name] and select iCloud . You can see which apps are linked to your iCloud account, as well as a storage usage graph at the bottom of the Preferences window.
To delete iCloud data, buy more storage, or change your iCloud storage plan, click the Manage button under the Storage section.
How to access iCloud Drive on a Windows PC
To manage your iCloud storage on a Windows device, you need to download and install iCloud for Windows from the Windows Store. This free software lets you choose apps to sync with your PC, see how much storage you have, and turn on iCloud Drive for File Explorer.
Use File Explorer to view iCloud Drive files
After installing iCloud for Windows, log in to your Apple account and enable the iCloud Drive checkbox. You may also want to enable any other programs that you want to sync with your PC.
If you turn off iCloud Drive in the iCloud app for Windows, it will ask if you want to remove iCloud files from your PC. This will not delete anything from your iCloud account.
How to manage iCloud storage on a Windows PC
Open iCloud for Windows to see your iCloud storage information in the main window. Click the Storage button to remove data from your iCloud account. You can also upgrade your storage space by clicking on the buy more storage space button.
How to access iCloud Drive on Android device
It’s not clear how to access files in iCloud Drive from an Android device because Apple doesn’t offer an app that lets you do that. Fortunately, you can still access some of your iCloud content by logging into the iCloud website from a browser.
Use a web browser to access iCloud
Open any web browser on your Android device and go to iCloud.com to sign in to your Apple ID account. After signing in to your account, tap the Apps icon in the upper right corner, next to your profile picture.
To view your iCloud Drive files, just tap on the Drive option. You can then tap the files to preview them or use the Select option from the ellipsis (…) menu in the upper right corner to download, transfer, delete and edit them.
Go back to the main menu and scroll down to the bottom of the page to see your iCloud space separately. Tap your storage to see more information. You can’t upgrade your storage through the browser, but hopefully Apple will add this feature in the future.
An Apple device is not necessary to access your iCloud files
As you can see, iCloud storage is relatively easy to access on almost any platform except Android. Although you can still open iCloud Drive through a web browser on Android, it’s much easier than the official Apple apps you can use elsewhere.
Apple’s reluctance to play nice with Android devices doesn’t end with iCloud Drive. Syncing photos, calendars, notes, and other details from iCloud to Android is just as difficult.