Can't open files when mac offline

Hi from Italy.

THe other day I was in a meeting and tried to open a pdf on my macbook 12 2015.

The mac was offline, we were in a basement.

iCloud was on as usual with documents folder and desktop sync.

Nothing happens.

The file does not open.

When I got home and connected as usual everything works ok.

Does this happen to anybody else?

Does the mac nowadays has to be constantly connected to some network to be able to function or am I missing something? I hope it's the second option...

Thanks for the feedback.

MacBook, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jul 3, 2020 11:44 PM

Top-ranking reply

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,656 points

Posted on Jul 4, 2020 1:44 AM

If you keep items/ documents etc in iCloud then your mac must be online to use them.

iCloud is a remote location thousands of miles away from the location of your mac,

so therefore your mac must be connected to the internet to retrieve the items you have stored

in the iCloud.

No the mac does not need to be constantly connected to the internet to work.

You can comfortably use the mac if you have your information stored either on your mac

or on an external drive that you are physically connected to.

If you continue to keep your files on iCloud or other Cloud/ internet storage system, then yes you would

need to be connected to the internet to use them.

View in context

Similar questions

4 replies

Top-ranking reply

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,656 points

Jul 4, 2020 1:44 AM in response to ProfondoNordEst

If you keep items/ documents etc in iCloud then your mac must be online to use them.

iCloud is a remote location thousands of miles away from the location of your mac,

so therefore your mac must be connected to the internet to retrieve the items you have stored

in the iCloud.

No the mac does not need to be constantly connected to the internet to work.

You can comfortably use the mac if you have your information stored either on your mac

or on an external drive that you are physically connected to.

If you continue to keep your files on iCloud or other Cloud/ internet storage system, then yes you would

need to be connected to the internet to use them.

Jul 4, 2020 7:30 AM in response to ProfondoNordEst

Documnets located on your drive can be opened whether or not you are connected to the Internet. I think the document you are referring to is not located on your computer but in the cloud.

Jul 4, 2020 2:14 AM in response to Eau Rouge

Sorry, I should have been more precise: the pdf is in the documents folder on the mac, on the ssd, always been, opened it a week a go.

Jul 17, 2020 4:48 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

At 0:37 he answered my question:

https://youtu.be/cIJJ6FaqKVM

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Can't open files when mac offline