HT201104: iCloud Drive FAQ

Learn about iCloud Drive FAQ
StevenDavison
Level 1 (4 points)

Q: What does the little cloud with a down arrow opposite a file name mean in iCloud Drive?

I have several files that I've worked on separately on my iPad and my Macbook Pro. Some of these files have a little icon opposite the filename in the Finder window shaped like a cloud with a down arrow coming out the bottom. What does this mean?

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Nov 22, 2014 6:15 AM

Close
StevenDavison

Q: What does the little cloud with a down arrow opposite a file name mean in iCloud Drive?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by PeterBreis0807,

    PeterBreis0807 PeterBreis0807 Nov 22, 2014 8:14 AM in response to StevenDavison
    Level 8 (35,658 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 22, 2014 8:14 AM in response to StevenDavison

    Means they are stored in the cloud and you need to download them.

     

    Peter

  • by boarddude,

    boarddude boarddude May 9, 2015 12:12 AM in response to PeterBreis0807
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 9, 2015 12:12 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

    Well thats not an answer really as there are a number of icons and I can not get any info on what they mean.  I have no idea when my files are in sync across two computers.  One min they have a dotted cloud then maybe a complete line cloud then a progress bar.  There is no way of telling me what is going on with an consistency.  The very worst thing and the thing that will be making me ask for my money back I have been spending on this is that i can force sync in any way.  They it does it automatically but it just does not.  Sometimes it does ....sometimes it does not....  I keep getting a warning that there are two versions that are not synced when there should not be. WHAT !?  Its madness.  The only reason I went with them was because dropbox, the best service out there, is much more expensive.   Any ideas? cheers

  • by BobSaggy,

    BobSaggy BobSaggy Jan 14, 2016 3:28 PM in response to boarddude
    Level 1 (18 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 14, 2016 3:28 PM in response to boarddude

    Interesting. I came unto this discussion because I had a research article on iCloud in pdf that refused to open. It had the download arrow with the cloud as you stated. Peter is right. I could not open the article on my Mac, but went unto iCloud via Safari and it was there. So I downloaded it, then replaced the same copy on my Mac on the iCloud tab in finder and now there is a local copy on my Mac.

     

    So like Peter said, it seems this means the document with the downward arrow is a copy in the cloud that does not have a local copy on your Mac. When I tried to delete it from the iCloud finder on the Mac, I got the warning that it will be permanently deleted and there's no way to recover it. So thanks Peter. Now I know what that means and when I see such files, will make sure I download them so I have a local copy for backup.

     

    Borddude i agree about the lack of force syncing. This is particularly true when you consider that not everyone has good internet access so synching can go wrong at anytime which i've experienced. It's always good to have a way to force it to sync so one knows the task is done. Hope it came right with you thou.

     

    Cheers!