Is iCloud Drive an App? Uncover Its Usage on iPhone, Mac, and Windows!

Is iCloud Drive an App?

No. Despite not being an app in and of itself, iCloud Drive works in a similar manner like to one because of its incorporation within Apple's operating systems. Although it can't be downloaded separately from the App Store, iCloud Drive functions with a number of other apps in the Apple ecosystem. As an illustration:

• iOS Files App: The Files app on iPhones and iPads is used to access iCloud Drive. For all of your cloud storage needs, including iCloud Drive, this app serves as a central portal.
• Finder on macOS: Drag and drop of files into the cloud is made simple on Macs thanks to iCloud Drive's integration with the Finder.
• iCloud for Windows: To access your iCloud Drive files on a Windows computer, download the iCloud for Windows application.

Is iCloud Drive an App Free?

Yes, it's free while you using a free tier, but there are also paid options for users who need more storage.

Free Storage Options

You can enjoy the 5GB of free iCloud storage once you register an Apple account. You can use a suite of iCloud services, such as device backups, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, etc. These iCloud services share the same cloud space. Therefore, the limited 5GB might be filled up quickly, particularly if you save a lot of large images and videos.

iCloud Paid Plans

For users who need more storage, Apple offers several paid plans:

• 50GB: $0.99 per month
• 200GB: $2.99 per month
• 2TB: $9.99 per month

With iCloud Family Sharing, these plans may be shared with family members, offering an affordable means of increasing storage capacity.

Is iCloud Drive an App on iPhone?

Yes. iCloud Drive is incorporated into the Files app on iPhones, however, it is not a stand-alone app.

Setting Up iCloud Drive on iPhone

It's really simple to set up iCloud Drive on your iPhone. This is how to enable iCloud Drive:

• Go to Settings: Press the Settings icon located on the home screen.
• Tap on Your Apple Name: This will take you to your Apple ID settings.
• Select iCloud: Here, you'll see all the services that use iCloud storage, choose iCloud.
• Enable iCloud Drive: Toggle the switch next to iCloud Drive to enable it.

Using iCloud Drive with iOS

After iCloud Drive is enabled, use the Files app to access it:

• Launch the Files Application: Locate and launch the Files app from your home screen.
• Choose Browse: To view the locations of your storage, press Browse at the bottom of the screen.
• Tap on iCloud Drive: All of the files and folders kept on iCloud Drive are visible to you here. You can upload files, make new folders, and rearrange your data as needed.

Is iCloud Drive an App for Mac?

Indeed. The Finder is the means by which iCloud Drive is integrated into macOS. When managing your files on a Mac, iCloud Drive is easily incorporated into the Finder, offering a recognizable and user-friendly interface:

• Launch the Finder: In the Dock, click the Finder icon.
• Choose iCloud Drive: You will notice an iCloud Drive option in the sidebar. To access your files, click on it.
• Drag & Drop: iCloud Drive allows you to drag files and folders into it in the same way that you would with any other Mac folder.

Features Exclusive to Mac Users

Some features are particularly beneficial for Mac users:

• Desktop and Documents Syncing: You have the option to have your Documents and Desktop folders automatically saved to your iCloud Drive. This guarantees that these crucial files are constantly accessible from different devices and backed up.
• Optimized Storage: By saving rarely used files in iCloud Drive and only downloading them when necessary, macOS can automatically clear up space on your Mac.

Is iCloud Drive an App for Windows?

In fact, iCloud Drive is an app on Windows because Windows is another platform outside the apple ecosystem. iCloud Drive can be accessed on Windows through the iCloud for Windows app.

Accessing iCloud Drive on Windows

You have to download the iCloud for Windows program to use iCloud Drive on a Windows computer:

• Get the app here: Get the Windows version of iCloud by going to the Microsoft Store.
• Put in and Launch: Launch the app after following the installation instructions.
• Sign In: To log in, use your Apple ID. Activate iCloud Drive.
• To activate iCloud Drive, check the box next to it.

How to Use iCloud Drive on Windows PCs

With iCloud for Windows, you can:

• File Access: Using Windows Explorer, you can view and download files from your iCloud Drive.
• Upload Files: In Windows Explorer, drag and drop files into the iCloud Drive folder to send them to the cloud.
• Sync Between Devices: Ascertain that your files are accessible on both your Windows computer and all of your Apple devices.

iCloud Drive provides several advantages to Apple users, one of which is a simple and safe way to manage and access your data across multiple devices. Whether you use iCloud Drive for business or personal use, its connection with Apple's ecosystem makes it a powerful tool for productivity and organizing.

How to Backup iCloud Drive Files?

Typically, everything should be backed up for security, how to backup iCloud Drive safely in case of data loss? Here you can find the powerful web-based multiple cloud storage manager - MultCloud. It allows you upload files to the cloud as well as transferring files between clouds directly without manually downloading and uploading.

You can try MultCloud to manage iCloud files on any platform, because MultCloud is a web-based multi-cloud storage manager, that supports your iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, so you can manage them on Mac, Windows, Android, iPhone, or other devices. So, why not give it a try?

Check the following simple steps to backup iCloud Drive to Google Drive for example, here it is:

1. Please log in to your MultCloud account after signing up.

2. Tap Add Cloud > iCloud Drive, and follow the guide to add. Use the same procedure to add Google Drive.

3. Click Cloud Transfer, hit iCloud Drive as the source, and Google Drive as the target. Press the Transfer Now button to move iCloud Drive files to Google Drive directly.