Apple didn’t announce any new Files app features, but as we learned last year, many smaller improvements come to iPadOS that aren’t necessarily announced in the keynote. In the Files app, a new option in iCloud Drive allows us to select a file or folder and select an option to “Keep Downloaded”. This will permanently keep this file or folder on device, while also storing a copy in iCloud for backup. This feature can be used by hold pressing or right clicking on a file or folder in the iCloud Drive section in the Files app. This is a complaint I’ve heard brought up several times, but now it looks like the Files app in iPadOS 18 will fix it. I will be sure to keep my eye out for more such improvements in the betas. I don’t know if we’ll see more improvements to the Files app in iPadOS 18 or not, but I’m sure we’ll see lots of new “minor” improvements like this in iPadOS 18 that didn’t make the keynote or preview page. 👍🏻
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Files App Improvements in iPadOS 18
- Thread starter Kal Madda
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There’s the Redesigned tab bar that Apple placed in Files app… but I don’t see any other visual differences. But then again, more can be added throughout this beta cycle.
What do you want to see though? It's 90% of what the desktop Finder does but with a different skin.
That’s a great point, I forgot to mention the new tab bar option. 👍🏻
@Ludatyk isn’t one of those people who rail against the Files app, he’s defended it in other threads. If I understand his position correctly, he just wants some more features added. 👍🏻. I’d like to see some more features added as well. 👍🏻. I don’t think he was saying that it not having any other visual changes was a bad thing, just making an observation. 👍🏻
Sure I'd like to see better file previews. Change file type associations easier too. Simple things that don't require much change.
Seqouia's Column View auto resizes now. But iPadOS 18's doesn't. That could have been done at the same time.
And I get this. But sometimes there's other avenues to get these kinds of things on the App Store.
We point the finger at Apple to add these features to their default apps (and it's warranted) because they exist on macOS, but there are cases where 3rd party devs can help in these situations.
Maybe users can go to a particular app and request a certain feature... 3rd party devs are more than willing to do it if enough users ask for it, they have more incentives to do it than Apple. Because I know some Mac users want the Preview app... but doing some digging in the App Store.
One dev came up with a Preview Mini app and they admitted it's not Apple's Preview... but it tries to add the same functionality that Mac users want.
On the bright side the Files app isn’t a system process in the same way Finder is. You can use any File Manager app if you see a good one or make a good one.
I'm confused — what happens currently when something is downloaded, it gets deleted?
I downloaded that app. The dev has fantastic support — I was a little unsure about some functionality so sent an email, the dev took the time to record a Loom video walking me through it and we exchanged a couple of emails. Really nice, and genuinely helpful.
After a while, the file is automatically offloaded off device and back into the cloud to optimize device storage. So if you are working offline, you wouldn’t be able to access files from the cloud. Keep Downloaded allows users to save files in iCloud (so it’s available on all their devices and is backed up), and keep iCloud Drive from automatically offloading the file from the device‘s native storage, so it keeps a local copy of the file on the device. 👍🏻
Discovered today that you can finally do bulk image converts with quick actions, just like on the Mac.
Just saw this post on Reddit. Looks like the Files app on iPhone and iPad finally supports formatting a drive.
Wow, good news and about time! I don't format drives often but having to go to my Mac to do so was pretty weak.
Actually just needed to do this for an NVMe drive in a caddy and it's great to have the facility now!
iPad Pro 11 M2 WiFi
Seagate states that you don't need to eject a drive on iPadOS.