Set up iCloud Drive on a computer, iOS device, or iPadOS device
In addition to using iCloud Drive on iCloud.com, you can work with your files and folders stored in iCloud Drive on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Windows computer.
Important: Your devices must be set up for iCloud Drive and meet the minimum system requirements listed in the Apple Support article System requirements for iCloud. You must also be signed in with your Apple ID on each device.
If you have devices with iCloud Drive turned off, documents and data on those devices aren’t kept up to date with documents and data on your devices with iCloud Drive turned on.
Set up an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
Turn on iCloud Drive.
You can view your files in the Files app. If you don’t have the Files app, you can get it from the App Store.
For more information about using iCloud Drive on an iOS or iPadOS device, go to Apps > Files > “Set up iCloud Drive” in the user guide for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Set up a Mac
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences.Do one of the following:
macOS Catalina 10.15: Click Apple ID, click iCloud, then select iCloud Drive.
macOS 10.14 or earlier: Click iCloud, then select iCloud Drive.
You can automatically store your Desktop and Documents folders in iCloud Drive. Click Options next to iCloud Drive. In the Documents pane, turn on Desktop & Documents Folders. After you add your Mac Desktop and Documents folders to iCloud Drive, all the files you keep in those folders are uploaded automatically. See the Apple Support article Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive.
For more information on how to set up and use iCloud Drive on your Mac, see Use iCloud Drive to store documents on your Mac and iOS devices and Work with files and folders in iCloud Drive in the macOS User Guide.
Set up a Windows computer
If you haven’t already, set up the iCloud for Windows app. See Set up iCloud on an iOS device, iPadOS device, Mac, or Windows computer.
Open the iCloud for Windows app, select iCloud Drive, then click Apply.
When you turn on iCloud Drive, some files are automatically downloaded to your C: Drive. You can open and view downloaded files directly from your computer.
In the iCloud for Windows app (version 10): Files under 1 MB are downloaded automatically.
In the iCloud for Windows app (version 7): The entire contents of your iCloud Drive are downloaded automatically.
To use iCloud Drive on your Windows computer, see:
You can recover deleted files by using iCloud Drive on iCloud.com.