Use iCloud File Sharing to share folders and documents with others

1. To share a folder or document, do one of the following on your Mac:

   • In the Finder , select iCloud Drive, select a folder or document, click the Share button , then choose Share Folder or Share File.

     Tip: If the item is on the desktop, Control-click it, choose Share from the shortcut menu, then choose Share Folder or Share File.

   • In an app that supports iCloud File Sharing, open a document, click the Share button , then choose Share File.

2. Select the app you want to use to send the invitation.

   

   You can use Mail, Messages, Copy Link and AirDrop to send an invitation.

3. Click the “Who can access” pop-up menu, then do one of the following:

   • Choose “People you invite” to allow only invitees to access the folder or document.

   • Choose “Anyone with the link” to allow anyone who receives the link to access the folder or document. For example, your invitees can share the link and give access to others not included in the original invitation.

4. Click the Permission pop-up menu, then do one of the following:

   • Choose “Can make changes” to allow others to revise the items in the folder.

   • Choose “View only” to allow read-only access.

5. To allow anyone to invite others to share the file, select the “Anyone can add more people” tickbox.

6. Click Share, then add the email addresses of the people you want to share with.

When the invitees receive your invitation, they can download the shared folder or file from iCloud to any of their devices. If you allow it, they can make changes to a document and you see the updates the next time you open the file on your Mac.

When you share a folder with only invited people, only they can access the files in the shared folder. To add more participants, you must change the settings of the shared folder; you can’t change the settings of an individual file within the folder.

When you download a folder or document that you’ve been invited to share, the shared folder or file is available in the following locations:

• In iCloud Drive on your Mac

• The Files app (iOS 11, iPadOS or later) or iCloud Drive (iOS 10 or earlier) on your device

• On iCloud.com

• On a PC with iCloud for Windows

If you have permission to revise a document, you can open it with any compatible app, then make changes.

1. In the invitation, click the link to the shared folder or document.

   If necessary, sign in with your Apple ID and password.

2. Open the document in an app on your Mac, make your changes, then save it.

   You can also open the document later with any compatible app and make changes. Anyone sharing the document sees the latest changes to the file the next time they open it.

You can change the sharing settings for a folder or document you share at any time.

1. On your Mac, select the folder or document in iCloud Drive or open it in an app that supports iCloud File Sharing.

2. Click the Share button , then choose Manage Shared File or Manage Shared Folder.

3. Do any of the following:

   • Share a document with more people: Click the Add People button, then add an email address for each new invitee.

   • Copy a link to the shared file to send to another person: Click Copy Link. You can now paste the link into an email or other app.

   • Change who can access the file to download: Choose “Only people you invite” from the “Who can access” pop-up menu to only allow invitees to access the document, or choose “Anyone with the link” to allow anyone who receives the link to access the document.

   • Change whether the shared document can be changed or only viewed: Choose “Can make changes” from the Permissions pop-up menu to allow others to revise the document, or choose “View only” to allow read-only access.

   • Change the sharing settings for a specific person: Position the pointer over a person’s name, click , then choose the settings you want.

   • Stop sharing a file with a specific person: Position the pointer over the person’s name, click , then choose Remove Access.

4. Click Done.

You can use the Shared folder in the Finder sidebar to easily view files and folders shared by others and by you. To set up your Shared folder to display folders grouped by who shared them, do the following:

1. On your Mac, select the Shared folder in the iCloud section of the Finder sidebar.

2. Click the Grouping pop-up menu in the Finder window toolbar, then choose Shared By.

   

   The window displays the files and folders shared by you and others grouped by sender.

   

You can stop sharing folders or files with people you invited.

1. On your Mac, select the folder or document in iCloud Drive or open a document in an app that supports iCloud File Sharing.

2. Click the Share button , then choose Manage Shared Folder or Manage Shared File.

3. Do any of the following:

   • Stop sharing with everyone: Click Stop Sharing.

   • Stop sharing with a specific person: Hold the pointer over the person’s name, click , then choose Remove Access.

You can also simply move or delete the folder or document from iCloud Drive to stop others from having access to it.

If you stop sharing or delete a shared folder, the files in the folder are no longer accessible to the participants.

To stop sharing a file in a shared folder without changing the folder settings, you can move the file out of the shared folder.