With iCloud Drive, you can save any kind of file to your iCloud storage. But how you access all the files in your iCloud Drive storage changes depending on whether you're using an iPhone, a Mac, a Windows PC, or an Android device.

We'll show you how to access iCloud Drive on any device. With it, you can edit documents, upload files, or free up some iCloud storage, no matter where you are or what device you're using.

How to Access iCloud Drive Files on an iPhone or iPad

On iOS or iPadOS, it's easy to sync different types of data to iCloud, from backups to calendar events to photos. Most of these options are built into the operating system on your device, which is why you can find your iCloud Photos directly in the Photos app.

Similarly, you can access all your iCloud Drive files using the built-in Files app on your iPhone or iPad.

Use the Files App to View iCloud Drive Files on an iPhone or iPad

The Files app is an intuitive file browser that you can pair with a range of cloud storage services, like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox. You can even use Files to look at documents saved locally on your device.

To access iCloud Drive files in the Files app:

  1. Open Files on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Head to the Browse tab from the bottom. You'll see a list of Locations.
  3. Tap iCloud Drive to view all the files in your iCloud account.
  4. Tap a file to download and open it. Alternatively, tap and hold on a file to view a popup menu with more actions, like Rename, Copy, or Delete.

How to Manage iCloud Storage on an iPhone or iPad

Whether you want to clear out some space or buy more storage, you can manage your iCloud storage from the Settings on your iPhone or iPad. Open Settings and tap [Your Name] at the top of the screen, then tap iCloud.

You can see an overview of your iCloud storage usage at the top of the screen. Tap Manage Account Storage for more details, then tap Buy More Storage or Change Storage Plan if you want to get more iCloud storage.

Alternatively, scroll through the list and tap on each app to view the options to delete its iCloud data. This deletes the app data for every device connected to your iCloud account.

If iCloud backups are using up too much of your storage, consider backing up your iPhone to a computer instead.

How to Access iCloud Drive Files on a Mac

Much like on an iPhone or iPad, you need to use various different apps to access iCloud data on your Mac. Open the Photos app to view your iCloud Photos, open the Notes app to see your iCloud Notes, and use Finder to access your iCloud Drive files.

Use Finder to View iCloud Drive Files on a Mac

Finder is the best way to find and manage all the files on your Mac or iCloud Drive storage. You can even combine the two by enabling the Desktop & Documents Folders option in your iCloud Drive settings to sync those folders from your Mac to iCloud.

To view iCloud Drive folders on your Mac, open a new Finder window and select iCloud Drive from the sidebar on the left.

iCloud Drive tab on Finder on macOS

If you don't see an iCloud Drive option, go to Finder > Settings from the menu bar. Then, head to the Sidebar tab from the pop-up window and enable the iCloud Drive option.

Interact with these files and folders the same way you would with any other file or folder on your Mac.

How to Manage iCloud Storage on Your Mac

To manage your iCloud storage on your Mac, go to System Settings > [Your Name] and select iCloud. You can see which apps are linked to your iCloud account, as well as a storage usage chart at the bottom of the preferences window.

Click the Manage button under the storage breakdown to delete iCloud data, buy more storage, or change your iCloud storage plan.

iCloud Account Storage managemet pop-up window on macOS

How to Access iCloud Drive on a Windows PC

To manage your iCloud storage on a Windows machine, you need to download and install iCloud for Windows from the Windows Store. This free software lets you choose which apps to sync with your PC, view your storage usage, and turn on iCloud Drive for File Explorer.

Use File Explorer to View iCloud Drive Files

After installing iCloud for Windows, sign in to your Apple account and enable the iCloud Drive checkbox. You may also want to enable any other apps you'd like to sync with your PC.

Now, open a new File Explorer window and click iCloud Drive from the Quick Access navigation menu. You should be able to view, edit, download, or delete any files in your iCloud Drive account the same way you would with other files on your computer.

iCloud Drive Quick access folder in File Explorer on Windows

If you turn off iCloud Drive in the iCloud for Windows app, it'll ask if you want to delete iCloud files from your PC. This won't delete anything from your iCloud account.

How to Manage iCloud Storage on a Windows PC

Open iCloud for Windows to see a breakdown of your iCloud storage in the main window. Click the Storage button to delete data from your iCloud account; you can also upgrade your storage by clicking the Buy more storage button.

iCloud for Windows main page

How to Access iCloud Drive on an Android Device

It isn't obvious how to access files on your iCloud Drive from an Android device because Apple doesn't offer an app that allows you to do so. Fortunately, you can still access some of your iCloud content by logging in to the iCloud website from a browser.

Use a Web Browser to Access iCloud

Open any web browser on your Android device and go to iCloud.com to log in to your Apple ID account. After logging in to your account, tap the Apps icon in the top-right corner, next to your profile picture.

To view your iCloud Drive files, just tap the Drive option. You can then tap files to preview them or use the Select option from the ellipsis (...) menu at the top-right corner to Download, Move, Delete, and Edit them.

Return to the main menu and scroll all the way down to the end of the page to see a breakdown of your iCloud space. Tap Your Storage to see more information. You can't upgrade your storage through a browser, but hopefully, Apple adds this functionality in the future.

An Apple Device Isn't Necessary to Access Your iCloud Files

As you've seen, it's fairly easy to access your iCloud storage on just about any platform except for Android. Although you can still open iCloud Drive through a web browser on Android, this is much less streamlined than the official Apple apps you can use elsewhere.

Apple's reluctance to play nice with Android devices doesn't stop at iCloud Drive. It's just as awkward to sync photos, calendars, notes, and other details from iCloud to Android as well.