iCloud Drive Not Downloading? Troubleshoot & Solve Download Problems

Preface

You're not the only one who has ever wondered why iCloud Drive won't download pictures or data. For all of your Apple devices, iCloud Drive is meant to be a smooth, automated cloud storage solution that makes it simple to store, retrieve, and share files between your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and PC. Nevertheless, many customers have annoying problems when iCloud Drive simply fails to download files as anticipated, despite its ease. The files may not download at all, or the "downloading" symbol may be permanently frozen, leaving you perplexed as to what's wrong. Let's examine some typical causes for this problem and how to fix it.

Causes of iCloud Drive Not Downloading Issue

Before attempting any troubleshooting, it’s important to understand why iCloud Drive isn’t downloading data. iCloud Drive isn’t working properly for a number of reasons. Some of the most common causes are:

How to Fix iCloud Drive Not Downloading

Now that we’ve identified the most common causes of iCloud Drive download issues, let’s move on to the solutions. Here are eight proven solutions for iCloud Drive download failures, stuck downloads, and other syncing issues.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

The most common cause of iCloud Drive not downloading is an unstable or weak Internet connection. To fix this issue, you’ll need a strong Wi-Fi connection. Here’s how:

Step 1: Check your Wi-Fi connection using a web browser or streaming video.

Step 2: If your Internet speed is slow or you’re experiencing intermittent disconnects, try restarting your router.

Step 3: If the issue persists, try switching to a different Wi-Fi network or using mobile data if available.

If your connection is stable and fast, your files should start downloading right away.

2. Free up Storage Space

iCloud Drive won’t be able to download files if your device’s storage is full. To fix this issue, you’ll need to free up some space.

Step 1: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: See which files or apps are using the most storage space.

Step 3: Move your data to an external hard drive or another cloud drive to make room for new downloads. Or, you can uninstall software you no longer use.

Bonus Tip: Transfer or Sync Files between iCloud Drive and Other Cloud Services

If you’re considering migrating files from iCloud Drive to another cloud drive, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like iCloud Drive to Google Drive without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.

3. Update Your Software

Issues with iCloud Drive can occur if you’re using an older version of macOS or iOS software. Make sure your software is up to date:

Step 1: On your iPhone or iPad, choose Settings > General > Software Update; on your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.

Step 2: Select Download and Install. If an update is available,

4. Restart iCloud Drive Syncing

Sometimes, issues can be resolved by restarting iCloud syncing. To start the iCloud syncing process anew, follow these steps:

Step 1: Under Settings > Name, select iCloud.

Step 2: Turn off iCloud Drive.

Step 3: Wait a few moments, then turn it back on. This will force iCloud Drive to restart and start downloading your data properly.

5. Quit the Application or Restart Your Device

The app or device may be frozen. If iCloud Drive is not downloading files, here’s how to fix it:

Step 1: Activate the App Switcher and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to quit the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.

Step 2: Press and hold the power button to turn off your device, then turn it back on to restart.

6. Sign Out of iCloud and Sign Back In

You can resolve file syncing and downloading issues by signing out of iCloud and then signing back in. Here’s how:

Step 1: On your iPhone or iPad, choose Settings > your name > Sign Out. On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID.

Step 2: After signing out, wait a few moments and then sign back in with your Apple ID.

7. Disable Power Saving Mode (iPads and iPhones)

Downloads from iCloud can sometimes be hindered by Low Power Mode, especially when your battery is low. Turning off Low Power Mode can help if you’re having trouble downloading from iCloud Drive.

Step 1: Select Settings > Battery.

Step 2: Turn off Power Saving Mode. After turning off Power Saving Mode, try downloading the file again.

8. Contact Apple Support

There may be an issue with your iCloud account or a system-wide iCloud issue. If the solutions mentioned above didn’t resolve the issue, your best option in this situation is to contact Apple Support directly for assistance. You can contact them by visiting the Apple Support page or using the Apple Support app.

Conclusion

If you're having trouble downloading files from iCloud Drive, you have a few options. There are detailed instructions for fixing a variety of issues with iCloud Drive. These include poor connectivity, synchronization issues, and insufficient storage. The following troubleshooting procedures should be used to fix iCloud Drive's slow, failed, or non-downloading file difficulties.

You can easily resolve iCloud Drive if you remember these fixes and run into this frustrating problem again. I hope your synchronization goes well!