iCloud AltYou can share files you've synced to iCloud with friends and colleagues who have an Apple ID using the step-by-step guide below. Whether you're sharing from a Mac or an iPhone, you'll be able to give people one-way access to the file, or allow them to modify the document if you're collaborating on a piece of work.

The sharing options you choose automatically sync across your devices, so you could, for example, share a file on Mac and change access permissions on your iPhone or on iCloud.com at a later time. The following steps assume Mac users are running macOS High Sierra or later and that iPhone or iPad owners are on iOS 11 or later.

How to Share iCloud Files From Your Mac

  1. Open a Finder window and locate the file in iCloud that you want to share. It could be in iCloud Drive or another folder that you sync to iCloud, such as Desktop or Documents.
  2. Click the file to highlight it.
  3. Click the Share button and select Add People from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, right-click (or Ctrl-click) the file and select Share -> Add People.
    how to share icloud files on mac01

  4. Choose how you'd like to send your invitation to access the file. In our example, we're sharing a link via email. You can also click the chevron next to Share Options to control who can access the file (Only people you invite / Anyone with the link) and their permissions (Can make changes / View only).

  5. Click Share.
    how to share icloud files on mac02

  6. Depending on how you chose to share the invitation, the relevant app will open containing a link to access the file. In our example, an email compose window appears, ready to add recipients and click Send.
    how to share icloud files on mac03

How to Share iCloud files on iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Locate the file in iCloud Drive that you want to share.
    how to share icloud files ios 01

  3. Tap Select in the upper right of the screen.
  4. Tap the file to check it in the selection.
  5. Tap the Share icon in the lower left of the screen.
    how to share icloud files ios

  6. Tap Add People in the second row of the Share Sheet.
  7. Tap the method you'd like to use to send your invitation. You can also optionally tap Share Options to control who can access the file (Only people you invite / Anyone with the link) and their permissions (Can make changes / View only).
  8. Depending on how you chose to share the invitation, the relevant app will open containing a link to access the file, ready for you to share.

How to Change Access Rights to a Shared iCloud File

Changing file sharing permissions via Mac or iOS is easy. Once you've shared an iCloud file, the Add People option you used in the above steps is replaced with a Show People option. Selecting this will display who has access to the file, including an option to Stop Sharing the file completely.

how to share icloud files on mac05
If you're on Mac, click the dotted icon next to a person's name to reveal options to change their permissions or Remove Access. If you're on iPhone or iPad, simply tap a person in the People list to access the same options.

Top Rated Comments

mail4asim Avatar
87 months ago
I tried this when I bought a small business last year but the whole thing about sharing one file at a time wasn't good enough for me. I wanted Folders shared with multiple people, which OneDrive and Google Drive were able to do with a couple of clicks.
On top of this, Apple did not offer personalized email hosting, domain services etc like Google and Microsoft do. Needless to say, I ended up choosing Google. Apple still doesn't offer solutions for small businesses.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
timmyh Avatar
87 months ago
Could I do this on a folder and avoid multiplying this step for evvvvvvery file I want to share?
Crazy as it sounds, no, you can't. The method described above currently only works for individual files.

If you still want to use iCloud, you could try sharing a compressed zip containing several files, or creating a sparseimage file using Disk Utility and put files in that for sharing over icloud. If that doesn't work for you, I'd recommend another service.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Onexy Avatar
87 months ago
I still always go back to Dropbox and just right click whatever to simply copy a public link.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B60boy Avatar
87 months ago
Besides a Folder share option iCloud Drive needs a "selective sync" option that the user controls like Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive. I can't believe that Apple does not let the user control what is sync'd to iCloud.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
87 months ago
I think I'll stick to dropbox. Its a bit more universally accepted when I'm dealing with companies that mainly have PCs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
massnative Avatar
87 months ago
I'm a huge Mac geek and own my own two small businesses, both of which use Macs. BUT, because Apple still is eons behind building an up-to-date small business support (which I personally think we will never truly see), things like iCloud Drive is only in place for me to back up my Mac's desktops and some files. As far as file-sharing, my teams us Sync (sync.com) which is very much like Dropbox, but without the high price tag, plus zero-knowledge and end-to-end encryption. As a Mac guy, I have to highly recommend Sync over Google and Dropbox.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....