Level 1

22 points

Files will not upload to iCloud via iCloud.com

I have been trying to upload several files into my iCloud folder using iCloud.com and each time I get an error message saying "(File Name) couldn't be uploaded. Try uploading the file again later."

I have 1.88 TB (out of 2 TB) of storage space left in my account, so space is not the issue. I have tried uploading in multiple ways...drag-and-drop and using the actual Upload button/tool. Neither works; the error message is the same.

I have never encountered this problem before. Does anyone know why it's happening or how to fix it?

Posted on Nov 3, 2021 3:16 PM

Top-ranking reply

visudo

Level 1

8 points

Posted on Jan 18, 2022 10:06 PM

Hi everybody! this is my first post. I've also been living with this issue for the last couple of months and finally decided to have a look into the problem.

In my case, in addition to not being able to upload files to iCloud Drive via a web browser, I am also unable to save changes in my iCloud Notes from a web browser.

As far as I can tell, this is a simple DNS issue which could easily be solved by Apple. You can work around the issue by creating a local hosts file entry so that your web browser can find the IP of an application server which Apple mysteriously removed DNS entries for.

Step 1) Determine which domain name is failing in your case

Log in to iCloud in a web browser, open dev tools (press f12 to open dev tools in Chrome)
Navigate to the "Network" tab in dev tools
Attempt to upload a file to iCloud
Click on one of the "singleFileUpload" items in the network log
Take note of the domain name in the Request URL. In my case the domain name is "p30-contentws.icloud.com" yours will probably be the same name but with a different number at the beginning.

Step 2) Find a suitable IP address to use

open a command prompt/terminal window and run the following command:
- nslookup contentws.icloud.com
Take note of any IP address in the list of addresses returned for "contentws.icloud.com"

Step 3) Create a local host file entry for the missing domain name

Run notepad.exe as administrator then open "c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
add the following entry to the bottom of the file:
17.178.100.27 p30-contentws.icloud.com
- replace "p30-contentws.icloud.com" with the domain name you found in Step 1
- replace "17.178.100.27" with the IP address you chose in Step 2
Save the hosts file.

Refresh icloud.com.
upload files successfully.

Various Notes

These instructions are written using Chrome on Windows 10 but the same can be achieved with any browser/OS if you know how to operate your computer.
I'm not a mac user, but I know your hosts file is located at "/etc/hosts". Google "how to edit hosts file on mac" for more details.
It looks like Apple uses Akamai GTM for DNS load balancing, every time you do an nslookup you get a different list of IPs. Apple probably relies on this technology to update their applications without downtime so it's possible that at some point in time the IP you choose will be offline.
credit to Hanadark0 for recognizing there was a DNS problem on 12/14/21 (35 days ago). Seriously Apple. Please fix this.

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66 replies

Nov 19, 2021 6:41 AM in response to desultican

(Remember in my case, the hotspot does work and does allow uploads just fine)

EVERYONE INVOLVED - CONTACT APPLE PLEASE!

Open a trouble ticket.

Refer to this web page perhaps.

Apple claims they have never heard of this and I've spoke with 3 engineers already.

I cant even drag/drop in the iCloud finder folder. That's broken too..

Nov 21, 2021 10:45 AM in response to lctricity

At least you heard back. No one from Apple acknowledged the issue I had spoke to and no one ever got back to me as they had indicated they would.

All I can do is ask ALL of you to OPEN a case with Apple.

Even if you're out of warranty - this isnt a hardware issue and you should have no issue opening a case.

Nov 21, 2021 6:38 PM in response to SnickieFlerken

I've tried windows and Mac and all sorts of browsers. Nothing on OUR side here to fix.

They even told me its likely my wifi AP at the house or my networking. As I mentioned earlier, I plugged the MacBook right into the cable modem, bypassing everything.

It fails as expected of course.

The one tech I spoke with seemed to understand it wasn't anything "I" could fix or replace on my side. He was the one that suggested I try the VZW hotspot as a test, which I did and which ironically works every time.

But thats not a fix of course. But to me, it has to indicate some course of troubleshooting directions...

I know Apple stores iCloud stuff on different machines/companies out there vs only their own. So I had thought DNS/IPv6 might be an issue but I ruled all of that out.

Automatic stuff on iCloud (like photos for example) seems to work just fine at least. I had to resort to using Google Drive for storage until this gets corrected. I am going to call and continue working on my case with Apple on Monday.

For whatever thats worth, besides wasting my time....

Dec 3, 2021 3:27 PM in response to geekydad

Did anyone else call Apple?

Did you guys open a ticket?

People... - Please open tickets up and dont just post here complaining. No one officially from Apple watches these that we really know of.

I've opened up 2 tickets recently and they are still open. So far Apple still isnt admitting there is an issue - yet even with 100% all Apple stuff, iCloud is not accepting any files whatsoever. There is no point in troubleshooting this on your own as its something external to all of our personal equipment.

I still have a theory as apple uses different storage providers for iCloud storage - but it's just a hunch at the moment.

Dec 7, 2021 9:31 AM in response to t5un4m1

Open a case guys.

Feedback isnt really the correct way to really get this addressed...

Personally I have given up and just using google drive or any other cloud storage. I always fully encrypt the zip files I put into any cloud storage cause even Apple has the keys and ability to look at our files. But if they are 7z and encrypted, good luck...

Dec 14, 2021 12:30 PM in response to not silent

I just opened yet another ticket on this today. I got further than before. Turing on Javascript debug while attempting to upload a file manually to iCloud Drive via Safari resulted in this debug:

[Info] Successfully sent reportStat (main.js, line 11, x2)

[Error] A server with the specified hostname could not be found.

[Error] XMLHttpRequest cannot load https://p57-contentws.icloud.com/10713065789/singleFileUpload?tk=CAogSGm1VcbyF5zx3SspdznA7HgSJOiwOlmKTZXo3XM9QwkSbRDy8LfU2y8Y8uDqptwvIgEKWgTVgm7VYJnQBGonKZ2TKhCdmCf2lD6g_3woELgr7nwZZ-zME1-RgPq0pC1iAxEFo57BcieCfgAyq40aQOQb-rLmYuVVYU606djbIQCmDiutCqdPqmx6Ek2EQ0w&ref=015c031de6ab9dc4e0ae4fdc54f79776f8d5826ed5&c=com.apple.clouddocs&z=com.apple.CloudDocs&uuid=4b21ca46-b375-4cae-abb8-9f7a60a5f43d&dataclass=com.apple.Dataclass.CloudKit&p=57&e=Avsh_ljP5drkjq1FAzi_n_HR1KL-iaUEeoWxp856oR7_MNy7l2T5UVQB5d2HpV-nDg due to access control checks.

[Error] Failed to load resource: A server with the specified hostname could not be found. (singleFileUpload, line 0)

[Info] Successfully sent reportStat (main.js, line 11, x7)

[Error] A server with the specified hostname could not be found.

[Error] XMLHttpRequest cannot load https://p57-contentws.icloud.com/10713065789/singleFileUpload?tk=CAogV__X2FDfFWM473kEvOTYdr3wMWsUo1qPuBt-r_KptjISbRDtycHU2y8Y7bn0ptwvIgEKWgTkzKlkYJnQBGonYaxG2PXlWXsUbdOoG9Pf9qD-X96JTzd_SZw-eiwYP1jp2CISUk2CcifnQlJ3Zrlcgv-PD7eFXATLlLTDNOcUhggWh97bDMB69S4b13wuslM&ref=01e3e93634d6c8160e1b15adf3983aa5abe4cca964&c=com.apple.clouddocs&z=com.apple.CloudDocs&uuid=249db0f2-ba37-406e-a2dd-74ddcba8b056&dataclass=com.apple.Dataclass.CloudKit&p=57&e=AgZuEuWOy-5qhaIiMJT6ztxGvDvZyZm3jq_TgdbXlZCheleCv27jVDernuXDYMSxIQ due to access control checks.

[Error] Failed to load resource: A server with the specified hostname could not be found. (singleFileUpload, line 0)

[Info] Successfully sent reportStat (main.js, line 11, x3)

...I have submitted this and several other items of debug to a senior engineer at Apple and expect a call back Wednesday 12/15. I will report my findings then, if Apple has some feedback for me...

Dec 14, 2021 12:33 PM in response to Community User

Possible DNS fail or mistake:

sh-3.2# nslookup p57-contentws.icloud.com

Server: 1.1.1.1

Address: 1.1.1.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:

p57-contentws.icloud.com canonical name = contentws.v.aaplimg.com.

contentws.v.aaplimg.com canonical name = c33f3251-cba4-4c18-bf7d-1acf250a6c65.apple.com.

sh-3.2# nslookup c33f3251-cba4-4c18-bf7d-1acf250a6c65.apple.com

Server: 1.1.1.1

Address: 1.1.1.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:

*** Can't find c33f3251-cba4-4c18-bf7d-1acf250a6c65.apple.com: No answer

sh-3.2#

Dec 20, 2021 7:38 AM in response to Community User

So as usual, the Apple Senior tech has not got back to Me despite 2 scheduled call backs. The issue is either a missing DNS entry as I showed above -or- I am being pointed at a bogus FQDN->CNAME entry. Has to be one or the other.

I am unsure how to kick this ticket up a notch as I am so close to figuring this issue out. Maybe I will reach out to Apple and see if I can get this ticket reassigned to someone with a better response time.

Dec 20, 2021 10:02 AM in response to vendorwizard

Well I pointed out the problem to them. But then I've had no further reply or response from Apple.

I've thought about creating a new AppleID and login and see what happens and then migrate my stuff over to it....

Dec 20, 2021 2:05 PM in response to AllfatherWodan

That might explain why no one has returned my requests for a callback. I did try creating a brand new Apple ID and used it to try and upload a file. That failed too.

I knew it wasn't my Apple ID but was really surprised that a new account still cant upload a dam thing.

...its like Apple just doesnt care here. No way this should be going on this long especially if its a crappy DNS issue.

Dec 31, 2021 7:45 AM in response to DJDavidP

Still broken here. Consider yourself lucky. No way to upload anything to the cloud either via WWW or iCloud within macOS.

All broken. Someday this will be fixed I presume but I have no idea how to go about that anymore...

Jan 7, 2022 9:58 AM in response to rob1234567

Its not the source (browser/windows/iOS etc) - its either the Web API and/or the CNAME DNS issue I found and reported to Apple.

Guys - just find another cloud provider and use them. Just fully encrypt anything before storing it in the cloud, even on Apple's servers if/when they eventually become functional again.

Apple has the decryption keys for your files. If you encrypt them with say Keka for example, they and no one else can ever see the file(s).

Jan 19, 2022 2:36 AM in response to visudo

Thanks. I reported all of this and showed apple techs the Exact issue and expected a quick fix.

this isn’t hard to fix.

it’s still borked despite spoon feeding apple the problem.

A hosts file should work just fine. I haven’t tried that but likely will soon. It’s simple enough for now.

Jan 23, 2022 2:32 PM in response to howard288

I too went thru the same issues with tech support. I gave them tons of stuff, they asked for more. I said NO. I declined to waste anymore time with them. I even showed them the DNS issue and spoon fed Apple the problem. Its still broken.

I wish people would realize it's not their computer nor their choice of browser. Until Apple corrects the CNAME -to- FQDN entry that's borked, this will continue to fail...

Nothing else and I mean nothing else will fix this.

As always I have just recommended to people to just find another cloud storage provider that actually works. There really isnt anything super special about iCloud Drive. There are other options. Google drive works or Dropbox or even OneDrive.

Just remember to fully encrypt ANYTHING you put on a cloud server, regardless of whom the provider is.

Even Apple can view/read/download anything you put into iCloud or iCloud Drive. They hold our decryption keys unless you encrypt it on your own prior to uploading.

I opened a total of 3 tickets and spent hours with Apple engineering and even after showing them via screen share EXACTLY where the problem is, they don't seem to care or have no one left that can fix this simple issue.

Its beyond frustrating. I just dont know anyone internally at Apple to chase this down with..

Feb 15, 2022 3:10 PM in response to cletus7205

Yea, file names were legit. I had tried even a 1k text file. No dice.

Today, 02/15/22 - all files NOW upload. I had not tried it again until I saw your reply so I figured I'd give it a shot again.

Today, it worked and files are uploading via Safari as expected.

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Files will not upload to iCloud via iCloud.com