How to back up iCloud Drive files using Time Machine?

When "Optimize Mac Storage" is DISABLED, then all files in iCloud Drive are also stored on your Mac. In that case, the locally synced copies of the files are actually stored in the following path, which is included in Time Machine backups:

~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs

One caveat to also understand is when iCloud "Desktop & Documents" is enabled, Finder simply hides those from you when viewing your home folder and instead shows them under iCloud Drive. The actual folders have not moved however and are still in the original paths, and therefore still included in Time Machine backups:

~/Desktop
~/Documents

You can check these paths for yourself by using either Terminal, or, by using the following Finder feature. In Finder > View menu > Show path bar. Then, select iCloud Drive and in the path bar at the button, right-click and choose "copy ... as a pathname". Paste the clipboard into a text document and you will be assured as to the actual paths being used by iCloud Drive, Desktop, or Documents, depending on which iCloud Drive features are enabled.

They are backed up by Time Machine. As long as you keep your iCloud files downloaded on your Mac then they are stored in a folder in your library called iCloud Drive

To make sure you keep them downloaded you need to open your iCloud folder on your Mac, select all, right-click and make sure that "Keep Downloaded" is selected.

I'm not sure exactly what Optimized Storage does on the Mac, but I think it might do the opposite of what you want. Someone will be along to confirm or not, I'm sure.

That's a great post you linked to, but note that I have Optimization turned off and I still, occasionally, have to manually force "keep downloaded" for files in iCloud. I had to do it for a couple of files this morning when I was checking before posting my earlier post on this thread. I recommend the OP checks regularly that iCloud files are marked as keep-downloaded and actually downloaded

Zurarczurx wrote: …I have Optimization turned off and I still, occasionally, have to manually force "keep downloaded" for files in iCloud.

That seems weird. I, too, have optimization off, but I have some files as "in iCloud," some as "Kept Downloaded," and most "Downloaded" (meaning both places,) mostly to see how they behave. I haven't seen any change-- I don't think. Maybe I need to pay closer attention…

iCloud has been buggy like this for me ever since it started. I only keep a few files in iCloud together with calendar, reminders, notes and contacts. I have Optimization turned off on all my iDevices. I have an iPhone that I keep as a backup in my travel bag. I only really turn it on once a month to update it and synch it. Every time I do I find that iCloud files I had downloaded have been offloaded and I have to synch Files manually. Every month. I spend a lot of time in places with no internet and if I know I'm going to need a file when I'm out and about I mail it to myself and make sure it's downloaded before I leave the house because I can't rely on iCloud.

Calendar, Notes, Reminders and Contacts frequently stop synching. It's a pain cos there's no indication on the iDevice until you miss a meeting or can't find a Note you need. I have to turn off and on iCloud synch to make them re-synch

Upload from Mac is also a problem with files often sticking at 99% and requiring the killing of bird to make them go.

It's been like this on three different Macs since iCloud and Files appeared. When I got this Mac in 2024 I didn't use Migration Asst or Time Machine to set it up, I just copied files using a disc drive and re-installed apps in the hope that by not transferring old settings files across it might fix this iCloud problem, but it didn't. If iCloud had a big button that force-synched everything no matter what iCloud thought its status was then it would be a huge help for me and save me loads of time manually managing it.

I used to report these bugs at each OS update but now I don't bother.

L3LL3 wrote: … It seems that several of us have a different experience... When "Optimize Mac Storage" is DISABLED, then all files in iCloud Drive are STILL NOT stored on your Mac. The question is if this is a bug, and if Apple is aware of it?

Well, this has taken a turn! I wonder if you have ever had Optimize turned on.

I don't really see anything wonky. I certainly haven't lost anything! iCloud Photos seems to do exactly what I expect. iCloud Drive, too, but I don't really depend on iCloud Drive. I have some folders there that I use often, but most stuff is just there to see what happens. I seldom access iCloud Drive from my phone or iPad-- though I do occasionally save files to iCloud Drive from those devices. Nothing weird, yet. The Mac's storage always has at least 15%, 30 GB free. Only one serious user account. No crazy apps, VPNs or such. WiFi is often weak and iffy. I use the MacBook on battery mostly, running to below 2% every day. That's all I can think of that might be relevant.

L3LL3 wrote: ever had Optimize turned on. … Maybe, a long time ago. I'm not sure... Are you saying that it would change the behaviour?

Probably not if it was a while ago-- I'm not sure with iCloud Drive but with Photos, switching off Optimize doesn't force an immediate download, and it can be a problem knowing when the process is done.

L3LL3 wrote: … I thought that just inactivating "Optimised Storgage" should make all files and folders available on the local disk

See this:

Understanding iCloud Drive