iCloud - how to see what is synced - EndNote

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Here’s how to see what is synced to iCloud, for macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, and Ventura. This includes both System Settings and using Finder where applicable.

macOS Sequoia:

(anticipated behavior based on current patterns)

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
2. Click your Apple ID at the top of the sidebar.
3. Select iCloud.
4. You’ll see a list of services using iCloud. Toggle each to view what’s syncing.
5. Click iCloud Drive to see a breakdown of file syncing.
6. For specific data (like Photos, Safari, Passwords), click each service individually.

Using Finder in Sequoia:

1. Open Finder.
2. In the sidebar, click iCloud Drive.
3. This will show all files and folders currently synced to iCloud.
4. Any files marked with a cloud icon are stored in iCloud but not downloaded locally.
5. Right-click files to download, remove from local storage, or check sync status.

macOS Sonoma:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Click your Apple ID at the top.
3. Select iCloud from the sidebar.
4. Review the list of apps and services using iCloud.
5. Click iCloud Drive to check which files and apps are syncing.
6. For more detail, click into each service like Photos or Messages.

Using Finder in Sonoma:

1. Open Finder.
2. Select iCloud Drive from the sidebar.
3. View files and folders stored in iCloud.
4. Files with a cloud and down arrow are in iCloud but not on your Mac.
5. Use right-click options to manage sync status.

macOS Ventura:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Click your Apple ID at the top of the sidebar.
3. Go to iCloud.
4. You’ll see what’s syncing, including Photos, Notes, Safari, and more.
5. Click iCloud Drive for file-level syncing and app-specific folders.

Using Finder in Ventura:

1. Open Finder.
2. Click iCloud Drive in the sidebar.
3. You’ll see all files and folders stored in your iCloud Drive.
4. Cloud icons show the sync status—fully downloaded, online-only, or syncing.
5. Right-click to manage local copies or check status.

If you're not seeing iCloud Drive in Finder, go to Finder > Settings > Sidebar and ensure iCloud Drive is checked.

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To check if /Users/username/Documents/ is synced with iCloud:

• In System Settings, go to your Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Drive, and click "Options." If "Desktop & Documents Folders" is enabled, then your Documents folder is being synced.
• In Finder, if you see a "Documents" folder inside the iCloud Drive section, that's a strong indication that your Documents folder is being managed by iCloud.
• In Terminal, you can run realpath ~/Documents. If the returned path starts with ~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/, then the folder is being redirected and synced with iCloud.
• To check whether individual files in that folder are uploaded to iCloud, you can run mdls -name kMDItemUbiquitousItemIsUploaded ~/Documents/filename.txt. A result of 1 means it’s uploaded, while 0 means it’s not yet synced.

Each method gives you a different layer of confirmation—from folder-level sync settings to file-level sync status.