2 Tested Ways to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive in 2026

Quick Search:

• User Case: Can I Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive
• Why Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive?
• How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on Mac [Normal]
• How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on PC [Normal]
• How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on Mac/PC [Novel]
• Will My Files Be Deleted if I Stop Paying for iCloud?
• Can I Use iCloud and OneDrive at the Same Time?
• FAQs About Syncing iCloud Drive with OneDrive
• Final Words

User Case: Can I Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive

“I’m new to the Apple ecosystem but have bought in fully since getting an iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Unfortunately, some of the software I use won’t run on MacOS so still using Windows for my PC and Laptop with most of my day-to-day work being stored on OneDrive.

Is there any way to set it up so that if I save to OneDrive it will sync to iCloud (or vice versa)? Thank you in advance!” – A Problem on Reddit.

Why Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive?

Launch by Apple, iCloud Drive is a professional cloud storage solution for iOS users. With iCloud Drive, users can access their files from any devices, including Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc., but it lacks advanced collaboration features. While OneDrive is another useful cloud service that is deeply integrated with Microsoft Office tools, such as OneNote, Outlook, etc, providing better cross-platform support, file version history, and real-time co-authoring on Office documents.

You can check the main differences between iCloud Drive and OneDrive in the chart below:

Basically, most users take advantage of multiple cloud storage solutions at the same time. However, there are circumstances where you need to sync iCloud Drive and OneDrive for the following reasons:

By the way, you can also check iCloud vs OneDrive vs Google Drive to know the key differences. So, how to can you sync iCloud and OneDrive on computer and Mac? You can learn the detailed operations in the following content.

How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on Mac [Normal]

Although there isn’t a service for you to sync files from iCloud Drive to OneDrive directly, you can take advantage of the sync folder. Specifically speaking, if you are using Mac, then iCloud is already installed on your PC. And all you need to do is to install OneDrive on your PC. 

After that, there will be iCloud folder and OneDrive folder generated on your Mac. To sync data from iCloud Drive to OneDrive, you can open two folders and drag and drop files from iCloud Drive to OneDrive. Now, you can follow the steps below:

Step 1: If you haven’t installed OneDrive, install it first.
Step 2: Now, head to your iCloud Drive folder and locate the data you want to sync.

Step 3: Open your OneDrive folder, then drag and drop files from iCloud folder to OneDrive folder.

How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on PC [Normal]

If you are using Windows and don’t want to install any app on your computer, then you can sync data on iCloud Drive to OneDrive on the web. The main goal is very clear, that is, download files from iCloud Drive and then upload them to OneDrive. And there’re the steps you should follow:

Step 1: Go to iCloud on the web and sign in with your credentials. Then hit iCloud Drive.

Step 2: Select the file you want to download, and click on the download icon (a cloud with a downward arrow). In this way, the selected file will be downloaded to your local computer.

Step 3: If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 11, then OneDrive is already installed on your computer and there’s a OneDrive folder on your PC. So, you can directly drag and drop the downloaded files to that OneDrive folder.

To sum up, if you want to sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive, you can take advantage of the sync folder and the web apps of iCloud and OneDrive. Now, you can choose the best method according to your situation.

How to Sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on Mac/PC [Novel]

If you find it hard and cumbersome to sync data from iCloud Drive to OneDrive via the manual methods above, you can then turn to an outstanding cloud sync service – MultCloud. MultCloud is a multiple cloud storage manager, aiming to make it easier to manage different cloud services. With this tool, you can upload files to OneDrive, download a file from Dropbox, share a Google Drive folder, etc. Besides, you are allowed to sync files between clouds.

Currently, MultCloud supports OneDrive, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, Dropbox, Google Drive, MEGA, Google Photos, Amazon S3, Flickr, FTP, NAS, and any other major clouds in the market. If you are wondering why use MultCloud, you can refer to the benefits below:

Now, you can follow the steps below to learn how to sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive via MultCloud.

Step 1: Create a MultCloud account by your email. Or, you can sign in with your Google/Facebook account directly.

Step 2: Tap Add Cloud on the left toolbar. Then add iCloud Drive and OneDrive respectively by following the instructions shown to you.

Step 3: Turn to Cloud Sync on the left navigation bar, and select iCloud Drive as the source directory and OneDrive as the target directory. After that, press the Sync Now button.

With MultCloud, you can sync files between clouds without downloading and uploading. If you want to select different sync modes, you can press the Options tab on the left lower corner. Also, if you want to make scheduled sync tasks, you can click on the Schedule tab and customize your sync tasks.

Similarly, if you want to sync Google Photos with OneDrive, sync OneDrive to iCloud Drive, etc., you can follow the same steps above. The only change is that you should re-select the original directory and the target directory. Anyway, the way to sync data between iCloud Drive and OneDrive via MultCloud is much easier than the manual way. Besides, you can also download files from iCloud Drive to sync iCloud to external hard drive.

Will My Files Be Deleted if I Stop Paying for iCloud?

Will my files be deleted if I stop paying for iCloud? No, your files will not be deleted immediately if you stop paying for iCloud. However, you will eventually lose access to them if you don't take action. Here is the detailed information.

1. You have a 30-day "Grace Period" to take action.

After you cancel or downgrade your plan, Apple does not delete your data right away. You get a 30-day window where you can still access all your files and download everything to your computer or another device. During this time, your data remains intact, but you cannot upload anything new.

2. Your account reverts to the free 5GB tier.

Once the paid plan ends, your storage space immediately drops back to the free 5GB limit. If you were using more than 5GB (which is almost always the case if you were paying), you will be "over the limit".

3. If you exceed 5GB after the 30 days.

Apple will not automatically delete your files right away to bring you under the 5GB limit. However, they do reserve the right to disable your account after a period of inactivity (up to 180 days). Once the account is disabled, Apple may delete your stored data permanently.

4. Immediate limitations (the day you stop paying)

Even though the files aren't deleted immediately, your iCloud services will be restricted immediately:

• Stop syncing: New photos and videos won't upload to iCloud Photos.
• Stop backing up: Your iPhone or iPad will stop backing up to iCloud.
• Stop updating: iCloud Drive and other iCloud apps won't stay up to date across your devices.

Can I use OneDrive instead of iCloud Drive? Of course, yes. What you should do to keep your files if you plan to stop paying you should do one of these things during the 30-day grace period:

• 1. Download everything: Log into iCloud.com or use the iCloud app on Windows/Mac to download copies of all your photos, videos, and documents to a local hard drive or external storage.
• 2. Free up space: Delete enough files from iCloud so that your total usage falls below the free 5GB limit. This will allow your account to function normally again.
• 3. Switch providers: Use a third-party tool like MultCloud to transfer your iCloud files directly to another cloud service (like Google Drive or OneDrive) without downloading them to your computer first.

Can I Use iCloud and OneDrive at the Same Time?

Yes, you can absolutely use iCloud and OneDrive at the same time. Many people do this to leverage the strengths of both services across Apple and Windows devices.

How to Use iCloud and OneDrive Together

Because these are separate services, they don't automatically share or sync files with each other. Here's how you can manage both effectively:

1. Install Both Apps

On your Windows PC, install both OneDrive and iCloud for Windows apps. This will create two separate folders in your File Explorer: one for OneDrive and one for iCloud Drive.

2. Manual File Management

To get a file from iCloud to OneDrive (or vice versa), simply open both folders and drag and drop or copy and paste the files between them. This will download a copy to your computer and then upload it to the other cloud.

3. Set Up Automatic Syncing on Your Phone

• On iPhone/iPad, you can set the OneDrive app to upload your camera roll automatically. This creates a backup of your photos in OneDrive in addition to iCloud.
• On Android/PC: Use the iCloud web portal or the iCloud for Windows app to access and manually move files to OneDrive.

FAQs About Syncing iCloud Drive with OneDrive

Does syncing files from iCloud Drive to OneDrive free up space?

Syncing files from iCloud to OneDrive does not free up space in iCloud. It creates a copy. To free up iCloud space, you must delete files directly from iCloud after confirming they are safe elsewhere.

Can I use iCloud Drive and OneDrive at the same time?

A: Yes. You can use both simultaneously. However, avoid placing the OneDrive folder inside iCloud Drive's synced folders to prevent sync conflicts.

Will syncing cause duplicate files or conflicts?

A: Yes. If iCloud Drive syncs your Desktop and you place OneDrive there, conflicts occur. So please keep OneDrive folders outside iCloud Drive's sync scope.

How do I sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive automatically?

A: Use a third-party tool like MultCloud. It offers direct, scheduled, and real-time sync without downloading and re-uploading.

Does OneDrive automatically upload photos from iCloud?

A: No. OneDrive cannot pull photos from iCloud directly. You must disable "Optimize Storage" on iPhone, so full-resolution photos download before OneDrive can upload them. Or use MultCloud to set it up.

What are the main differences between iCloud Drive and OneDrive?

A: iCloud offers 5GB free, deep Apple integration, but lacks version history. OneDrive offers 5GB free, seamless Windows/Office integration, and file version history.

Will I lose iCloud backups if I switch to OneDrive?

A: Yes. Device backups, Messages, Notes, and iCloud Photo Library still use iCloud storage. If iCloud becomes full, these services may stop working.

Final Words

After reading the whole text, you can now sync iCloud Drive with OneDrive on Mac and PC easily and use both iCloud Drive and OneDrive. Meanwhile, if you want to sync iCloud Photos to OneDrive or another cloud service, you can use a specialized cloud file manager – MultCloud. On top of the Cloud Sync feature, MultCloud also allows you to transfer and backup files from one cloud to another. For instance, if you want to transfer S3 bucket to another account, you can utilize the Cloud Transfer function of MultCloud.