Store files, foto's etc only in iCloud.

[Curtricias]

I am a new owner of a MacBook Air m1. And I have the 256gb version. Is it possible to store all your documents etc in iCloud. On my iPhone I choose to save all in iCloud. But can you do that on Mac OS to? Or does it always sync everything between the cloud and your device storage?

 

[RAFbombhead]

Yes, if you enable iCloud in system preferences, you will get the option of “iCloud Drive” in the finder window. You can use this to sync all documents etc. The original isn’t stored on your Mac, it goes to the cloud and you can download it when you click that document.

 

[James_C]

Yes, if you enable iCloud in system preferences, you will get the option of “iCloud Drive” in the finder window. You can use this to sync all documents etc. The original isn’t stored on your Mac, it goes to the cloud and you can download it when you click that document.

Hi that is not correct, iCloud is a syncing service. By default everything in your iCloud folder on your Mac ( which is stored on your Mac’s drive) is then uploaded to Apple’s servers. In settings under Apple ID iCloud there is an option to Optimise Mac Storgae, which will keep the original in iCloud and remove the file from your local drive only if your Mac starts to Run out of disk space.

it is confusing as on iOS devices iCloud does not download the files until you click the download icon for the file.

So in summary on the Mac it is not possible to only store files on iCloud, but not have them take up drive space, unless you have optimize Mac storage turned on and you are low on space.

I guess you could turn iCloud drive off on your Mac, and use the iCloud web interface to manually transfer files to iCloud, but that would be a pain to use IMO.

 

[Curtricias]

Hi that is not correct, iCloud is a syncing service. By default everything in your iCloud folder on your Mac ( which is stored on your Mac’s drive) is then uploaded to Apple’s servers. In settings under Apple ID iCloud there is an option to Optimise Mac Storgae, which will keep the original in iCloud and remove the file from your local drive only if your Mac starts to Run out of disk space.

it is confusing as on iOS devices iCloud does not download the files until you click the download icon for the file.

So in summary on the Mac it is not possible to only store files on iCloud, but not have them take up drive space, unless you have optimize Mac storage turned on and you are low on space.

I guess you could turn iCloud drive off on your Mac, and use the iCloud web interface to manually transfer files to iCloud, but that would be a pain to use IMO.

Ok. Thank you for your answer. I already checked and I thought that it is this way. But somehow I hoped it to be otherwise ? But I already chose the optimise mac storage option. So everything should be fine.

 

[Zazoh]

I use mine as a cloud drive. No Auto syncing except for Photos and apps that write to the cloud. Pages for example. That way I can finish editing on iPad if needed. Also when the photo library gets bigger than I want I store the library in the cloud but create a new system library that then gets synchronized to iPhone and iPad. It’s not a set and forget but I feel I have more control over my data.

 

[RAFbombhead]

Hi that is not correct, iCloud is a syncing service. By default everything in your iCloud folder on your Mac ( which is stored on your Mac’s drive) is then uploaded to Apple’s servers. In settings under Apple ID iCloud there is an option to Optimise Mac Storgae, which will keep the original in iCloud and remove the file from your local drive only if your Mac starts to Run out of disk space.

it is confusing as on iOS devices iCloud does not download the files until you click the download icon for the file.

So in summary on the Mac it is not possible to only store files on iCloud, but not have them take up drive space, unless you have optimize Mac storage turned on and you are low on space.

I guess you could turn iCloud drive off on your Mac, and use the iCloud web interface to manually transfer files to iCloud, but that would be a pain to use IMO.

Yes, I misread the question. I thought Curtricas was just asking if the iCloud was possible in MacOS. Not the exact mechanics of it. But hey, I learned something too!

 

[Fuchal]

You can just right click the files in iCloud Drive and choose Remove Download.