How to access iCloud Drive on your PC? Learn how to do it to enable convenient file management, backup, and synchronization between Apple devices and Windows computers.
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Generally speaking, iCloud Drive files can be easily managed among Apple devices. However, it's not easy for those using both Apple devices and Windows computers. How to access iCloud Drive on PCs easily to seamlessly work with iCloud Drive files after backing up files to iCloud? Let's find out the ways to open iCloud Drive on Windows PCs.
iCloud provides you with the app named iCloud for Windows (formerly iCloud Control Panel), which allows you to securely store and sync files between the Windows PC and iCloud server, sync files to iCloud, or download iCloud files (iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, and iCloud Passwords) to Windows computer. That is to say, you can use iCloud for Windows to access iCloud Drive files directly.
Here is how to access iCloud Drive on PC using the iCloud for Windows:
1. Please download iCloud for Windows and log in with your Apple ID and password.
2. Then tick the iCloud Drive option, and click Apply.
3. Now the iCloud Drive folder is automatically added to Windows File Explorer, and all files in iCloud Drive will be downloaded by default.
4. Then you can add files to iCloud Drive to upload them, or other operations you'd like to try.
Notes:
Except for the iCloud for Windows app, you can directly go to iCloud.com to access iCloud Drive on PCs and manage them online. iCloud.com allows you to access all files in iCloud, including iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, Contacts, Bookmarks, and other files no matter what devices you have. So, here is how to access iCloud Drive on Windows PC using a web browser to visit iCloud.com:
1. Please log in to your Apple ID and password on iCloud.com.
2. Tap Drive from the iCloud interface to open it.
3. Select Recent you can view all the recent activities.
4. Click Browse to access all iCloud Drive files.
Tips: In the Browse section, you can upload files to iCloud Drive, create a new folder, download iCloud Drive files to your Windows computer, share iCloud Drive with others, or delete iCloud Drive files, and organize these files by name, date, kind, and size.
5. Hit Recently Delete to see the files that have been deleted in the last 30 days. And you can restore them anytime within 30 days.
Tip: To free up space for iCloud, you can empty the trash in iCloud Drive to get more available space.
Although you can use the above ways to access and open iCloud Drive files, you can only access iCloud Drive files from one account at a time. What if you have multiple iCloud accounts to manage? Here comes the comprehensive web-based cloud files manager - MultCloud, which allows you to manage unlimited iCloud accounts with one login.
You can get the following benefits from MultCloud:
First of all, you have to add your iCloud accounts to MultCloud, and then manage them easily.
How to access iCloud Drive on PC via MultCloud, here are the simple steps:
1. Please log in to your MultCloud account after creating an account within a web browser.
2. Tap the Add Cloud button, then choose iCloud Drive, and follow the steps to grant access to MultCloud. Repeat the same process to add other iCloud Drives that you’re using.
3. iCloud Drive will be listed automatically, then you can access iCloud Drive on Windows PC, including all the iCloud Drive files, and files in Recently Deleted, and you can create a new folder.
4. You can preview, copy, share, and delete the iCloud Drive files on the MultCloud interface. Besides, you can create a new folder, upload files and folders.
5. Click another iCloud Drive you just added to access and manage iCloud Drive files on PCs.
Note: You can access files from multiple iCloud Drive accounts as long as you are added to MultCloud, so you can manage them with just one login.
Besides that, you're able to migrate iCloud Drive to Google Drive or other 30+ clouds directly with MultCloud, which allows you to take some room on iCloud storage.
If you are interested in how to open iCloud Drive files on Mac or iPhone, or iPad devices, just follow the below steps.
On your Mac computer, the Finder is the best way for you to access iCloud Drive files, to sync Mac Desktop and Documents folders to iCloud, you can enable the Desktop & Documents Folders option while setting up the iCloud Drive.
To access iCloud Drive on your Mac, Please do as follows:
1. Open your Finder, and click iCloud Drive from the sidebar.
2. Then you can open iCloud Drive files and manage them like on the official site.
If your Desktop and Documents folder is missing on Mac, please find solutions for iCloud deleted all my Desktop and Documents to troubleshoot.
Starting with iOS 11 and iPadOS 13, iCloud Drive is seamlessly integrated into the Files app on compatible devices. Thus, you can access iCloud Drive files on iPhone within the Files app, here is how:
1. Please go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, then tap your name and iCloud.
2. Turn on iCloud Drive.
3. Choose the apps that use iCloud Drive, making it turn on or off.
4. Open the Files app, and click Browse at the bottom.
5. Click iCloud Drive under Locations, and now you can access iCloud Drive files and manage them.
Until now, how to access iCloud Drive on PC has answers in your mind, and try the best way that suits you to manage iCloud Drive files on your Windows PC. Besides, you can manage iCloud Photos to free up space if your iCloud storage is full. Moving files from iCloud to another cloud is quite common, so just add the extension to move files between clouds directly.