iCloud Drive not syncing Folders

Question

Level 2

179 points

iCloud Drive not syncing Folders

Yes this topic has been raised previously, and I have read quite a few posts, but cannot find my situation mentioned, apologies if I missed it.

I use MacBook M1 Pro with 13.4.1(c) and i have the following issue:-

Firstly I realise there is an option to sync Desktop and Documents, and I have used that in the past but it caused more significant issues with my Multi Display system and for what I want to do it is akin to a Sledge Hammer to crack an egg!
I want to sync a small number of folders on my other devices via iCloud and I followed the Apple instructions to select the folder(s) in question and insert them into the iCloud dialogue via Finder.
After that initial instruction, the folder does appear to be synced within iCloud Drive and I could access documents via my other devices.
However, I soon realised that in reality the folders I added were NOT continuously being synced, and the only solution was to recopy the folder into iCloud Drive.... ( signing out and back into iCloud failed to resolve the issue)
However, documents with application folders like Numbers are being synced without issues.

Any ideas, Please?

JohnW

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.4

Posted on Jul 16, 2023 5:04 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

welshguru Author

Level 2

179 points

Jul 23, 2023 9:26 AM in response to muguy

That idea worked, thanks

I created a new folder within iCloud, then put an alias on the desktop and a couple of simple tests show that any document or folder I update either directly on the desktop or within iCloud sync the other folder... progress.

Just to make it slightly more complicated I then made a new alias of the desktop folder and placed it within my main Data folder storage area.... and that folder also gets updated.... all I have to do is remember which one is the real folder before i start deleting !!!!!!

thx. JohnW

Reply

Answer 2

Ev3rnub

Level 1

8 points

Jul 17, 2023 1:49 PM in response to welshguru

Sometimes the process that syncs iCloud will just hang for long periods of time. If you open up activity monitor and force quit the process "bird" it may fix the sync issue without having to sign in/out and or recopy the folder.

Reply

Answer 3

Ev3rnub

Level 1

8 points

Jul 22, 2023 8:28 AM in response to welshguru

Apologies for the late response.

Not exactly. My issue with iCloud was that sometimes files would immediately sync and other times they would take 10 to 20 minutes. Restarting the previously mentioned "Bird" process would "force" iCloud to start re-syncing on its restart.

Reply

Answer 4

muguy

Level 10

91,466 points

Jul 23, 2023 9:11 AM in response to welshguru

I think I mentioned that this did work earlier, but it causes me all sorts of grief on the M1 Pro with multiple displays, so I switched it off.

Not sure why, there should be no effect.

Is there no other way to sync folders. via iCloud.

Anything in the iCloud drive folder will sync. As will anything in desktop or documents locations should you turn that on.

I may play around with this a little and put the desktop folder within another folder and just have an Alias on the Desktop...

I'm fairly confident that will not work for the Desktop folder as that represents your actual desktop when viewed. You might be able to create a new folder on the desktop as an alias to a folder in iCloud drive but that will not really be any different than saving directly into iCloud Drive.

Reply

Answer 5

muguy

Level 10

91,466 points

Jul 16, 2023 5:11 PM in response to welshguru

Any files placed into the iCloud Drive folder will sync any changes that are made. Apple's apps have their one containing folders in iCloud; your data is accessible in files.

Not really sure what you mean by this: "insert them into the iCloud dialogue via Finder." Just copy your folders directly into iCloud Drive on your Mac.

Reply

Answer 6

welshguru Author

Level 2

179 points

Jul 22, 2023 8:44 AM in response to Ev3rnub

Ev3rnub wrote:

Apologies for the late response.

Not exactly. My issue with iCloud was that sometimes files would immediately sync and other times they would take 10 to 20 minutes. Restarting the previously mentioned "Bird" process would "force" iCloud to start re-syncing on its restart.

Thanks, for the update

Reply

Answer 7

welshguru Author

Level 2

179 points

Jul 23, 2023 1:36 AM in response to welshguru

OK,

I have just been through a few other tests to make sure I have not been doing something "stupid"

I have my original folder set up on my Desktop and it has also been copied into the iCloud Drive.
if I add or change a document within the Desktop version of my folder, whether it is at the top level within the main folder or in a subfolder this document never gets updated in the iCloud.
If I Stop the "bird" process it has no effect on the sync however it is apparent from watching the Desktop with Finder open that the iCloud Drive appears to be "resyncing" itself when"bird" has restarted, but ignores the changes or additions to the subject document as in 2. above.
If I "force" (manually) copy a subfolder or document from the Desktop folder into the iCloud drive main folder then iCloud Drive picks up the fact that there has been a change and then syncs the subject Document or folder.

But surely this is not how this function is supposed to work, after all, if I have a Pages document that I am working on and it is changed in any way, this change is automatically reflected in the iCloud Drive contents, which I need as I have documents that are being collaborated on by more than one person and in this case iCloud drive appears to be fully functioning.

So why don't updates to documents/folders within a Desktop folder work the same way?????

Thx

JohnW

Reply