How to Turn on iCloud Drive on iPhone & Mac & PC

Why Can't I Turn on iCloud Drive?
How to Turn on iCloud Drive on iPhone/Mac/PC
►Way 1: Enable iCloud Drive on iPhone
►Way 2: Turn on iCloud Drive on Mac
►Way 3: Set up iCloud Drive on Windows PC
Bonus Tip: Transfer Files from One iCloud Drive to Another via MultCloud
Conclusion
FAQs

Why Can't I Turn on iCloud Drive?

If you have some issues when you are following the steps on how to turn on iCloud Drive in the next section, there could be several reasons behind it. Here are some common troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve the problem:

Check Internet Connection: Ensure that your device is connected to the internet, as iCloud Drive requires an active internet connection to function properly.
Update iOS/macOS: Make sure you are running the latest version of iOS on your iPhone or macOS on your Mac, as older software versions may have compatibility issues.
Check iCloud Storage: Ensure that you have enough available space in your iCloud Drive space. If your iCloud storage is full, you won't be able to turn on iCloud Drive until you free up some space.
Check Restrictions: On iOS devices, check if there are any restrictions enabled that might prevent iCloud Drive from being enabled. Go to "Settings" > "Screen Time" > "Content & Privacy Restrictions" > "iCloud Drive" and ensure it's allowed.
Check Apple's System Status: It's possible that iCloud services might be experiencing temporary issues. Check Apple's System Status page to see if there are any reported problems.

How to Turn on iCloud Drive on iPhone/Mac/PC

iCloud Drive empowers users with the ability to store files, documents, photos, and more in the cloud and access them from any device. This section will separately show you the specific steps for turning on iCloud Drive on the iPhone, Mac, or PC.

Way 1: Enable iCloud Drive on iPhone

Step 1: Open the "Settings" app from your iPhone's home screen.

Step 2: Sign in to iCloud. If you're not already signed in, enter your Apple ID and password. If you're a new user, you can create an Apple ID by selecting "Create a Free Apple ID."

Step 3: Tap on your name at the top of the screen, select "iCloud", find "iCloud Drive", and toggle the switch to turn it on.

Note: This way can be also used to turn on iCloud Drive on iPad.

Way 2: Turn on iCloud Drive on Mac

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your Mac's screen to open the Apple menu. Then, select "System Preferences" in the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Sign in to iCloud. If you're not signed in to iCloud, find and click on "Apple ID," then select "iCloud" from the sidebar. Enter your Apple ID and password, or create a new Apple ID if you don't have one.

Step 3: Find "iCloud Drive" and check the box next to it to turn it on. If prompted, confirm your decision to enable iCloud Drive.

Note: To turn off iCloud Drive on Mac, you just have to unselect the “iCloud Drive” box.

Way 3: Set up iCloud Drive on Windows PC

Step 1: Visit Apple's official website and download the "iCloud for Windows" application. Then run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the application.

Step 2: Open "iCloud for Windows" when it has been installed and sign in with your Apple ID.

Step 3: Select "iCloud Drive" from the list of available options and toggle the switch next to "iCloud Drive" to turn it on.

How to Turn on iCloud Drive on Windows PC

Bonus Tip: Transfer Files from One iCloud Drive to Another via MultCloud

After turning on iCloud Drive on your devices, the files can be automatically synced to iCloud. If you have 2 different iCloud accounts and want to migrate files from the old one to a new one, you can use MultCloud to easily make it.

The reason why we recommend you use MultCloud is that it has a function called Cloud Transfer which is specialized in transferring files from one cloud to another. Using Cloud Transfer, it can not only automate the transfer process but add more useful features to make the process smarter:

Schedule: Appoint the transfer process to run at another time.
Filter: Select the files out in batches by the extensions, and only transfer or not transfer these files.
Delete all source files after transfer is complete: Delete all the files in the source cloud after these files were already saved on the target cloud.

Step 1: Sign up for a free MultCloud account.

Step 2: Add iCloud Drive to MultCloud. Here you should click “Add Cloud” and its icon. Then go through the two-factor authentication. Since you want to transfer files from one account to another, so you should repeat the operations to add another account.

Step 3: Select “Cloud Transfer” and choose the iCloud Drive accounts in the FROM/TO boxes. Then click “Transfer Now” to start the transfer process.

Transfer Files from one iCloud Drive Account to Another

Note:

If you want to appoint the task, you can follow the steps after clicking “Transfer Now”: Click “Schedule” > Choose a preferred time > Tap on the “Save” button
If you want to ignore or only transfer some files, you can use Filter with the steps: Click “Options” > Choose “Filter” > Enter the file extensions > Tap “Save”.

Conclusion

Knowing how to turn on iCloud Drive opens up a world of convenience and efficiency in file management. With seamless synchronization across all your Apple devices, you can access your files anytime, anywhere. Whether you're an iPhone user or a devoted Mac owner, iCloud Drive ensures that your files are at your fingertips.

What’s more, if you have a need to transfer files from one iCloud account to another, you won’t regret trying MultCloud Cloud Transfer. Or, if you want to backup or sync the iCloud files, Cloud Backup and Cloud Sync are always ready to be used.

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FAQs

How do I refresh my iCloud Drive?

To refresh iCloud Drive, close and reopen the app on your device or sync manually by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Sync.

How do I refresh my iCloud Drive?

To refresh iCloud Drive, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive, toggle it off and on again. Or, on Mac, click Apple menu > System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud, uncheck and check iCloud Drive.

Why is iCloud Drive greyed out on my iPhone?

iCloud Drive may be greyed out on your iPhone due to various reasons: disabled iCloud Drive in settings, poor network connection, or an ongoing update or backup process.

What is the difference between iCloud and iCloud Drive?

iCloud is Apple's cloud-based service that allows you to store and sync data across all your Apple devices. iCloud Drive is a specific feature within iCloud that focuses on file storage, enabling you to save files and access them across devices using a dedicated folder structure.

What happens when you turn off your iCloud Drive?

When you turn off iCloud Drive, the files stored in iCloud Drive remain on Apple's servers but are no longer accessible or synced across your devices. Any changes made to files won't be updated or reflected on other devices, and the iCloud Drive app disappears from your device's home screen.

MultCloud Supports Clouds

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