Getting a Quick and Direct "iCloud Drive-to-External Hard Drive" Download

Nifty "iCloud Drive-to-External Hard Drive" Download Tip:

To Download it All:

If you have lots of data to download from iCloud to an external drive, then there is a nifty trick, when using a Web browser. The maximum storage capacity you can have on iCloud is 2TB. So, if there is not enough storage on your external hard drive, then purchase a new external hard drive: One with enough storage on it to download what need be.

You Would:

I. Connect: the external hard drive to your computer

II. Select: the external hard drive for the default "File download location"

II. Log in: to iCloud Drive

III. Download: from iCloud Drive.

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In Depth:

I. Connect the External Hard Drive to your Computer

Use an external hard drive with enough storage on it to download what need be. If need be use an adapter such as this: USB-C to USB Adapter - Apple

II. Select the External Hard Drive for the File Download Location:

Using Safari, in this case. Alternatively, and if an option, use this setting for any other Web browser you are using. It may be worded differently than "File download location"

1. Open: Safari
2. Go to: Safari menu
3. Select: Preferences
4. Click: General tab
5. Select: "Other..." for "File download location" (Screenshot 1)
6. Select: [Hard Drive]
7. Click: Select Button

III. Log into iCloud Drive:

1. Open: Safari
2. Go to: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/

IV. Download from iCloud Drive

It will all go to the external hard drive, without having to download it to your computer's hard drive, and then transferring it over to the external hard drive.

1. Click: iCloud Drive button (Screenshot 2)
2. Click: the Download button (the cloud-with-a-down-arrow icon atop the screen) (Screenshot 3)
3. Proceed: with the download

Screenshots:

• Screenshot 1: Selecting "Other..." for "File download location"

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• Screenshot 2: iCloud Drive button

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• Screenshot 3: Download Button atop of iCloud.com