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How do you use iCloud to share files between iPad and Mac?

Hi,
I can’t wrap my head around how iCloud Drive works on the Mac. I just want to use it as a sort of external storage, so I can access samples or share files between iPad and Mac.
What happens is that no matter what I do the Mac want to download dozens of GB from iCloud. I don’t want to sync, I just want on-demand use. I want to use it much like Google Drive or Dropbox. Simple, straightforward external storage.
I find it very confusing and frustrating, even if I torn off all folders on the Mac it still keeps syncing… So why not ditch iCloud arrive all together and just use Google Drive?. Well, backups… if I want backups I’m pretty much sold on iCloud. Also for some apps like Audiolayer that can store large sample data on iCloud.
How do you guys use it?.

Comments

  • edited February 2023
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Yes, iCloud is mainly used for syncing between devices, you really have no control over when it will try and download everything to your Mac. I tried using it that way for years and never found a way to keep things just in the cloud. I use Dropbox for that these days, which quite honestly is faster than iCloud anyway.

    I do still like having some things like my sample libraries in iCloud, nice to be able to quickly update that and grabs samples from my iOS device.

  • @tahiche said:
    Hi,
    I can’t wrap my head around how iCloud Drive works on the Mac. I just want to use it as a sort of external storage, so I can access samples or share files between iPad and Mac.
    What happens is that no matter what I do the Mac want to download dozens of GB from iCloud. I don’t want to sync, I just want on-demand use. I want to use it much like Google Drive or Dropbox. Simple, straightforward external storage.
    I find it very confusing and frustrating, even if I torn off all folders on the Mac it still keeps syncing… So why not ditch iCloud arrive all together and just use Google Drive?. Well, backups… if I want backups I’m pretty much sold on iCloud. Also for some apps like Audiolayer that can store large sample data on iCloud.
    How do you guys use it?.

    iCloud wasn’t designed to do what you want. It was intended to be a relatively transparent cloud-sharing service for the 90% of people that don’t get how file systems work —all your devices with seamless access to the same data.

    You’ll need other services designed for more granular management of where the files are stored if you want something different.

  • Thank u all for your answers!.

    @espiegel123 said:
    iCloud wasn’t designed to do what you want. It was intended to be a relatively transparent cloud-sharing service for the 90% of people that don’t get how file systems work —all your devices with seamless access to the same data.

    What you point out here is definately one the purposes of ICloud, another one possibly being as a backup system.
    But there’s another huge one that a lot of us here in the forum will probably relate to. As EXTRA STORAGE space. Isn’t this a legitimate reason?. It seems not because it just downloads GBs of data that you don’t currently need, and if you’re low space…. Sort of defeats the purpose and actually makes it worse!.
    I can’t see why there isn’t an option to only download on demand… it already exists for uploads where you can decide what folders are synced or not. Makes sense to do it the other direction as well.

  • I wish it worked that way as well, but sadly that’s not how Apple has it set up right now.

  • wimwim
    edited February 2023

    iCloud is designed to be a real-time sharing system. Aspects of that don't lend themselves to selective syncing. I can edit an Obsidian note on my phone and literally watch the characters appear as I type on my Mac and my iPad. As long as I have internet access I can know that the shopping list I updated on my Mac will be identical on my phone when I get to the store.

    There's a lot of advantage in that, and I can see how adding in more control over what gets synced and when would complicate and/or dilute that utility. File locking is one thing that comes to mind - handling what to do with overlapping changes to files from different devices. Apple assumes we're all too dumb to manage those kind of things. As mentioned, they're right about that for probably 90% of people.

    That's not to say that I wouldn't like it to be different. Mainly I would like the ability to set individual files and folders to download on demand only, or to always store locally per device.

    Just gotta use the right tool for the job when one tool doesn't do it all.

  • @tahiche : i understand why you want what you do...and that iCloud drive wasn't intended to fit that need... it would not surprise me if at some point they add support for more control of what gets moved local..nor if it never changes.

    I think those of us that want this sort of control don't realize what a small percentage we represent of users.

  • edited February 2023

    I (now) use Icloudrive in browser only on mac -
    turning on in macos was big mistake , downloading half the cloud to my meagre macbook HD .
    turn off , delete , browser only

  • @RetroNewb said:
    I (now) use Icloudrive in browser only on mac -
    turning on in macos was big mistake , downloading half the cloud to my meagre macbook HD .
    turn off , delete , browser only

    Yes, browser as a clunky workaround. But you can’t upload multiple files at once, you can’t download a folder… it’s very limited. Specially in the case of samples, not being able to download a folder makes it sort of useless.

  • I just got a Mac mini and I have an iPad Pro and what I do is have an SSD attached to my Mac with all the files I might need. I can then Air Drop to my iPad very quickly and easily. This also works well for transferring files from iPad e.g. music project files or screen recordings, to Mac/SSD for longer term storage. But I think it only works with single files so may not be what you are looking for.

  • @tahiche

    Look to host your own “cloud” file server. It’s not to difficult to set up and runs on almost anything. There are several options but I’d recommend Nextcloud. Open source plenty of add ons and free (if your a single user).

    https://nextcloud.com/compare/

    There’s a iOS app as well as android

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