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iOS: Saving files into user’s iCloud Drive using FileManager

Filip Němeček on May 05, 2020

As a part of the CloudKit framework your app can save and read files from user’s iCloud Drive. Of course only from specialized folder for your app ...

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Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 25 '20

Hey Filip,
If you have any free time, can you please write an article on how to download/restore the data of the app from iCloud Drive.

I used this method to save images to iCloud Drive and save the image names on CoreData/CloudKit database. But the app can't get the images from iCloud Drive that are saved into iCloud Drive FROM A DIFFERENT DEVICE (same app and same iCloud user).

I have no idea what causes this problem. All the images are successfully uploaded to the iCloud. The app successfully displays all the images that are saved from the SAME DEVICE even after I delete and reinstall the app.

So, If you have any free time, please consider writing an article on how to download/restore the application’s data from iCloud Drive.

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 25 '20

I use this to get the path of the app's iCloud drive

let driveURL = FileManager.default.url(forUbiquityContainerIdentifier: nil)?.appendingPathComponent("Documents")

then I use this to display the image (on SwiftUI)

Image(uiImage: UIImage(contentsOfFile: driveURL!.appendingPathComponent( <name-of-the-image> ).path) ?? UIImage())

Filip Němeček • Sep 25 '20

Hi! That weird. Are you signed into the same iCloud account? I am using my app Scan it on both iPhone and iPad and all files get uploaded to the same iCloud Drive.

On the other hand, if you are doing backup, I would use CloudKit without iCloud Drive because user can manipulate the images in Files app for example.

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 25 '20

Yeah, the same iCloud account and I'm not doing backup.
I have no idea what causes this problem.

I'll try something with CloudKit.
Thanks for the reply. Have a great day.

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 25 '20

My app's folder doesn't show up inside iCloud Drive in iOS files app. I think this might be the problem.

I've correctly specified the .appendingPathComponent("Documents") part and I can even see all of my saved images via Settings->Account->iCloud->Manage Storage->AppName

This is how I save images to the iCloud Drive

// "imgData" is the jpeg data of an image

let driveURL = FileManager.default.url(forUbiquityContainerIdentifier: nil)?.appendingPathComponent("Documents")

let filePath = driveURL!.appendingPathComponent( <unique-name-of-the-image> )

try imgData.write(to: filePath)

Do you have any clue on what's wrong with my app? (especially on the app's folder doesn't show up inside iCloud Drive)

Filip Němeček • Sep 25 '20

Did you try bumping up the app and build numbers?

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 26 '20

Yeah, but still doesn't work. Anyway, thanks too much for replying me. Have a nice weekend.

Filip Němeček • Sep 26 '20

Strange, one last thing that occured to me.. What language is your device? Maybe "Documents" works only for English? Which would be crazy but who knows..

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 26 '20

It’s English (US)

Anders Hovmöller • Nov 21 '20

I have the same problem. I do everything in this article, but no folder appears. I tried to add a createDirectory call too, but no dice.

Anders Hovmöller • Nov 21 '20

Well crap. In my case if I just created a file in the folder it appeared! So seems different from your case.

Umayanga Alahakoon • Sep 25 '20

Thanks so much for these super clean and detailed instructions 😊

gangadhar mamillapalli • Jun 9 '22

Hey Filip,
I was planning to do the same thing using Cloudkit JS in my nodejs server. But am not able to relate things from Swift to javascript side,

Please let me know if you have any suggestions on this

thanks

Bhagyash • Jul 3 '21

the amount of apple generated issues i'm having using iCloud Drive
Took me 1% effort to setup aws s3 with api gateway
I'mma stick with the local disk