Do you trust iCloud for file syncing?

[sfwalter]

All,

I'm about to make the move to either Dropbox 2TB or iCloud 2TB plan. I've been a free Dropbox user for quite a number of years. Instead of paying for both iCloud (for iPhone backup and such) and Dropbox I was thinking of just iCloud.

I will use iCloud for synching my entire Documents and Projects folders from my Macs.

So my question is do you trust iCloud for synching folders and files? One reason to use Dropbox is in case I would ever need access to my files from a Windows machine down the road or heck even an Android phone. I know I can install an app on Windows to access iCloud Drive. How about on Android is there anyway?

 

[MBAir2010]

From an apple user perspective: Using iCloud with high sierra OS X running on a mac mini, macbook air and iPad.
When i made an entry using that app "pages" the changes would appear on all 3 devices. photos would appear on these devices when i selected share certain files, instead of entire library. In images, i could save a drawing on the ipad, save that file to iCloud, and has the file appear on both mac mini and Macbook air. I never upgrade my storage, which was the max free 5GB.
as for non-apple related software like photoshop, iCloud cannot make synchronized changes on these device.
As far as trust, i was recently advised not to post anything unpublished on any cloud server.

i somehow cannot use these iCloud feature running El Capitan OXS.

i hope this helps

 

[artfossil]

After years of having a paid Dropbox account, I finally ditched it and now have iCloud and a free Dropbox account. iCloud Drive has worked like a dream syncing documents and projects among a laptop, desktop and iOS devices (phone and iPad). I've never had an iCloud syncing issue. I sync my Desktop and Documents but I also have the majority of documents organized into project folders on iCloud Drive. (I keep very few things in Documents).

One thing to note is that you can always access your iCloud Drive from iCloud.com with a browser.

I keep the free Dropbox because I still have two apps that use Dropbox, not iCloud, for syncing.

 

[moabal]

I use to use Google Drive for everything. I hacked my documents folder to go into my Google Drive so everything I sync there is synced to Google Drive. I was able to use Google Apps on my iPhone/iPad to edit and resync them.

Since I decided to purchase a Office Subscription (since it works a lot better on the iPad than Google Apps), the only way to get easy sync without duplicate files is using OneDrive. I have been very happy with OneDrive. I use iCloud to store my photos but I get a secondary copy of all phones taken on my iPhone into my 1TB OneDrive.

It is a pretty good deal if you plan on paying for a subscription. Especially those who like's Microsoft Office Suite. The Apple Office Suite is really not that good in my opinion. The Google Suite has gotten better. However, it is more suited for college student collaborations. For everyone else, Microsoft Office rains supreme.

Just my two cents.

 

[MBAir2010]

After years of having a paid Dropbox account, I finally ditched it and now have iCloud and a free Dropbox account. iCloud Drive has worked like a dream syncing documents and projects among a laptop, desktop and iOS devices (phone and iPad). I've never had an iCloud syncing issue. I sync my Desktop and Documents but I also have the majority of documents organized into project folders on iCloud Drive. (I keep very few things in Documents).

One thing to note is that you can always access your iCloud Drive from iCloud.com with a browser.

I keep the free Dropbox because I still have two apps that use Dropbox, not iCloud, for syncing.

what mac OS X are we using?

 

[bruinsrme]

Use iCloud and one drive.
One location isn’t enough.

Both have saved me.

 

[artfossil]

Use iCloud and one drive.
One location isn’t enough.

Both have saved me.

Agree. I have multiple backup solutions. (Can't stand One Drive though. )
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what mac OS X are we using?

I'm on the latest version of High Sierra.

 

[MBAir2010]

Agree. I have multiple backup solutions. (Can't stand One Drive though. )
[doublepost=1533311126][/doublepost]
I'm on the latest version of High Sierra.

thanks, el capitan does not seem to like my macs and iPad with airdrop or iCloud, but everything else run great
whereas High Sierra is too much umph for these macs.

 

[mikzn]

So my question is do you trust iCloud for synching folders and files? One reason to use Dropbox is in case I would ever need access to my files from a Windows machine down the road or heck even an Android phone.

Yes - been using iCloud for file synchronization since El Cap - have never lost a file or folder and sync the files over multiple devices. I keep all my currently active files for various projects in custom folders and remove the folders to a archive drive when completed. I don't use the "Desktop and Documents" option - I prefer to make custom folders and store the files in these custom folders.

I do still use Drop box for sharing files because the majority the people I work with ( and need to share files with) do not use Mac's Just about everyone has drop box - so Drop box is great and easy to use for sharing files.

Also really like the iCloud.com login for accessing contacts, calendar, notes, reminders, email and files.

I use Keynote daily and on difference devices - its great to make a small change (or big) and know that it will be on every other device next time I access the file from somewhere else.

 

[artfossil]

Yes - been using iCloud for file synchronization since El Cap - have never lost a file or folder and sync the files over multiple devices. I keep all my currently active files for various projects in custom folders and remove the folders to a archive drive when completed. I don't use the "Desktop and Documents" option - I prefer to make custom folders and store the files in these custom folders.

I do still use Drop box for sharing files because the majority the people I work with ( and need to share files with) do not use Mac's Just about everyone has drop box - so Drop box is great and easy to use for sharing files.

Also really like the iCloud.com login for accessing contacts, calendar, notes, reminders, email and files.

I use Keynote daily and on difference devices - its great to make a small change and know that it will be on every other device next time I access the file from somewhere else.

I too archive folders from my iCloud Drive to an external drive.

And I agree completely about the convenience of Dropbox and its accessibility to everyone.

But for the day to day challenge of syncing multiple files across multiple devices I can't beat iCloud—especially, as you note, if you're using Keynote or otherwise (endlessly) tweaking documents.

Having iCloud and iCloud Drive (and the iOS Files app) become robust, polished and reliable has really simplified my workflows and has made my work life less stressful.

 

[bruinsrme]

Agree. I have multiple backup solutions. (Can't stand One Drive though. )
[doublepost=1533311126][/doublepost]
I'm on the latest version of High Sierra.

I’m a windows user 75% of the time.
One drive helps me quickly share docs between win and Mac

 

[artfossil]

I’m a windows user 75% of the time.
One drive helps me quickly share docs between win and Mac

Oh it’s fine . . . I’m just being quirky.

 

[4254126]

At the very beginning iCloud Drive was very shaky. Used to have the Dropbox 1TB plan.

But paying for both storage plans was too much. Ditched Dropbox and haven't looked back. I still use the free plan for sharing projects among colleagues, but have gone "all in" with 2TB of iCloud Storage (400GB Photos, 10GB Messages, 40GB Documents synced across my Macs and iDevices. Sync is fast and efficient. And I appreciate the slim user interface for it. All I really want is my documents everywhere (and as a great backup solution) and iCloud really performs. It only just hit me recently, but Apple has steadily been improving cloud services to the degree where I don't have to worry about anything and the speed is always very good. No comparison to the "good ol' days"

 

[Sackofnickels]

I was going to use iCloud and purchased the 1TB plan, but after about 11,000 photos I found navigating photo libraries in the cloud was too slow for me. I canceled the plan.

It was not my internet connection, which averages around 170Mbps down and 12Mbps up.
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I’m a windows user 75% of the time.
One drive helps me quickly share docs between win and Mac

I use OneDrive to share files across my Macs. Works great for me.

 

[Tech198]

All,

I'm about to make the move to either Dropbox 2TB or iCloud 2TB plan. I've been a free Dropbox user for quite a number of years. Instead of paying for both iCloud (for iPhone backup and such) and Dropbox I was thinking of just iCloud.

I will use iCloud for synching my entire Documents and Projects folders from my Macs.

So my question is do you trust iCloud for synching folders and files? One reason to use Dropbox is in case I would ever need access to my files from a Windows machine down the road or heck even an Android phone. I know I can install an app on Windows to access iCloud Drive. How about on Android is there anyway?

I'd rather trust Dropbox, than iCloud. I dunno why. Perhaps it's just a because I never trust Apple

No iCloud for Android, but you can browse via the site.... You may have to switch to the "desktop version" instead of mobile site (if you can). Dropbox app is also on Android.

I do like Apple's cloud storage pricing.. you won't get 50gig on dropbox for that price , but its more storage than i could ever fill up.. I wouldn't even know where to begin.

 

[Shanghaichica]

Yes. I use it to back up my MacBook. I also have it backed up to google drive as a secondary back up.

 

[ales876]

I got a similar question in this context. First of all, I use an external drive for my every week backup and that's totally okay.

But I'm looking to to have my "Document" files and other stuff which I use either on Dropbox or the iCloud. It should be easy accessible and yes, clearly safe. My goal is to minimize the storage on my laptop and use Cloud as much as possible, while having each week a time machine backup.


Any suggestions?

 

[Shanghaichica]

I got a similar question in this context. First of all, I use an external drive for my every week backup and that's totally okay.

But I'm looking to to have my "Document" files and other stuff which I use either on Dropbox or the iCloud. It should be easy accessible and yes, clearly safe. My goal is to minimize the storage on my laptop and use Cloud as much as possible, while having each week a time machine backup.


Any suggestions?

I use iCloud to back up all my documents, photos and videos. It's automatic and I can access them from any of my devices.

 

[ales876]

View attachment 776889
I use iCloud to back up all my documents, photos and videos. It's automatic and I can access them from any of my devices.

So you treat Desktop, Documents and Pictures and your other documents in the cloud as your "normal" folders, which you would have locally on the desktop? So bascially all in cloud?

 

[Shanghaichica]

So you treat Desktop, Documents and Pictures and your other documents in the cloud as your "normal" folders, which you would have locally on the desktop? So bascially all in cloud?

Yeah everything’s in the cloud and ot keeps everything in the folders you’ve already created.