Will Backblaze back up iCloud Drive on Mac? Will Backblaze back up iCloud Drive on Mac?

Will Backblaze back up iCloud Drive on Mac?

Lin Lin

Apple's iCloud Drive can be backed up to Backblaze on Mac as long as the files are saved locally on the computer itself and not stored solely in the cloud. To be sure your iCloud Drive files are stored on your computer and can be backed up by Backblaze, make sure the "Optimize Mac Storage" feature, which moves files off the computer to free up space, is disabled. 

This option can be found in the Apple ID menu in System Preferences. Uncheck the box for Optimize Mac Storage to disable it and prevent files from being removed from your computer. 
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Other storage optimization options, like "Store in iCloud" and "Optimize Storage" in the Storage Management menu also have the potential of removing files from your computer to free up space. Any files removed in this way will not be able to be backed up by Backblaze, and may be removed from the backup over time. If you'd like to ensure all files are backed up by Backblaze, do not enable these options. 
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Where are my iCloud Drive files in my backup?

If your local folders (such as Documents) are synced to iCloud Drive, their files will appear in their normal locations on your computer (i.e. /Users/[username]/Documents) and will be backed up there by Backblaze. See this guide for assistance in navigating through your backup. 

 

Any other iCloud Drive files that are not synced from your local folders (like Documents or Desktop) can be found at, /Users/[username]/Library/Mobile Documents/ and should exist in this same location in your backup. As a note, /Users/[username]/Library/ is usually a hidden folder on your computer, but should show up normally in your backup.