Terrible experience with Keynote + iCloud : any tips?

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Terrible experience with Keynote + iCloud : any tips?

Hi everyone,

I work on my iMac to create / update three Keynote presentations I use every week to teach. Each one is around 5 GB.

I display those presentations using my MacBook Air, and I rely on iCloud to sync the presentations between the iMac and the MBA.

My issue is that iCloud does not seem to be updating the keynotes document, but entirely replace them. For instance, only switching two slides on my iMac will imply that I have to wait for iCloud to download the 5GB file, like it would be a new file, on my MBA. On top of it, iCloud seems to be very reluctant to use my bandwidth and the sync is far slower than it would be if I did the sync myself (by transferring the keynote via the Finder and overwriting files, which I don't want to do unless I'm in a hurry).

Is this a defect in iCloud's conception or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Posted on Sep 17, 2019 5:38 AM

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Answer 1

dialabrain

Level 10

136,379 points

Sep 17, 2019 6:00 AM in response to Backintosh

Backintosh wrote:

My issue is that iCloud does not seem to be updating the keynotes document, but entirely replace them. For instance, only switching two slides on my iMac will imply that I have to wait for iCloud to download the 5GB file, like it would be a new file, on my MBA.

That is how iCloud functions. It replaces the entire file. It wouldn't be possible to just save edits for tens of thousands of apps.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

136,379 points

Sep 17, 2019 9:37 AM in response to Backintosh

You're welcome. FWIW, all cloud services work pretty much the same. They upload or download the newly edited file. It may be quicker to Airdrop the file between your Macs. I'm not sure since I don't do much of it.

Use AirDrop on your Mac - Apple Support

A 5GB file will take time of course.

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Answer 3

Backintosh Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 17, 2019 9:47 AM in response to dialabrain

There's something else I've noticed about the network usage. It feels like iCloud doesn't prioritize its syncing over your activity and waits for you to be "kinda" inactive to start the syncing. This afternoon for instance, Keynote didn't sync in the Finder, no matter that I clicked on "download" every 5 minutes, but when I came back an hour later (without doing anything on any computer), the files were synced.

I appreciate the background-activity logic but it is a problem not to be able to prioritize the syncing.

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Answer 4

Sep 18, 2019 3:42 AM in response to Backintosh

Well, you DON'T have to use a cloud service at all - you choose to.

Whilst in theory having things in sync this way is a good idea, but when you factor the upload and download times it would be far more practical perhaps to just Airdrop the file from the iMac to the MBA.

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

136,379 points

Sep 17, 2019 9:56 AM in response to BDAqua

Check to see how long it takes to upload or download a 5GB file with either.

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Sep 17, 2019 5:32 PM in response to dialabrain

Apple has never showed even 8 Mbps, updates take many hours. pCloud usually shows around 30 Mbps.

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Answer 7

VikingOSX

Level 10

124,154 points

Sep 17, 2019 6:25 AM in response to Backintosh

You didn't ask, but iCloud is not a backup solution either. If a file on iCloud is deleted, Apple provides a 30-day sliding window of user-actioned recovery from the signed-in iCloud Settings panel. I recommend that you arrange for local backup of those large Keynote slides if you are not already doing so.

There is also a dedicated Keynote for Mac Support Community available to you.

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Answer 8

BDAqua

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Sep 17, 2019 9:49 AM in response to Backintosh

That is why I use pCloud & DropBox, but not their Apps, I do it manually on demand when & what I want.

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Answer 9

dialabrain

Level 10

136,379 points

Sep 17, 2019 4:17 PM in response to BDAqua

BDAqua wrote:

On an Optimistic high end max never seen in real world...

https://www.speedtest.net/result/8598974291

On another test...

Download Speed: 8.97 Mbps

Upload Speed: 26.03 Mbps

I see. Must take quite awhile to download macOS installers. 1+ hrs.

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Answer 10

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Sep 17, 2019 6:32 PM in response to dialabrain

You're correct, but I get better download speeds almost everywhere than I do with Apple using my poor connection speeds.

I'd probably still be on Dialup if the Phone company hadn't said they were going to charge me $60 a year for an unlisted number.

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Answer 11

Backintosh Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 17, 2019 11:10 PM in response to dot.com

Well there are workarounds for sure, but to be honest the *only* issue at hand is that I have to plan ahead and need to work on a presentation a day or so before having to display it, so there’s enough time for the syncing.

It’s actually the perfect solution for what I do, minus the issue above, and it actually feels like I’m using iCloud as it’s intended to work, as it *should* work and, if I may foresee so, as it *will* work when our devices have no more local storage to speak of and are only streaming files from the cloud. With proper syncing speeds ^^

The actual better option for me right now does exist : to pay for another cloud service with faster transfers. But I’m stup... stubborn this way and want to make the most of my 200Go iCloud. I have an unlimited GDrive and a 20 Go or so Dropbox so I know that iCloud is the slowest, but there is simplicity in it which I want to enjoy. And let’s say that having to plan ahead doesn’t hurt ;)

Thanks for your inputs!

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Answer 12

Backintosh Author

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Sep 17, 2019 9:29 AM in response to dialabrain

Sure, but I would have thought that Apple apps would have some kind of special treatment.

Thank you tho.

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Answer 13

BDAqua

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Sep 17, 2019 12:08 PM in response to dialabrain

5 GB would eat up more than a month's worth of Data allowance here, but Apple Downloads are the slowest by far for me.

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Answer 14

dialabrain

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136,379 points

Sep 17, 2019 1:34 PM in response to BDAqua

I was curious as how fast your fast downloads were, not your slowest. It's fine though. I have a 1GB connection so nothing is particularly slow for me.

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Answer 15

Backintosh Author

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Sep 17, 2019 2:33 PM in response to dialabrain

For my part, I “only” have a 200MB (up/down) connection but this Keynote thing it the only computing activity that reminds me I actually have a limited bandwidth :/

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Terrible experience with Keynote + iCloud : any tips?

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