iCloud iCloud files saved on MBA not showing on MBP

[Quackington]

Hello.

I've come across a strange sync issue today. I saved some PDF docs to iCloud from my old MBA. A few hours later, I tried to access the files on my MBP, but the files just aren't showing. In fact, the folder of PDFs I saved from my MBA isn't showing at all. I rebooted my MBP, but still no luck.

I've just checked my iCloud drive on both my iPhone and iPad, and the PDF folder appears on those devices. So it's weird that it just isn't showing in finder on my MBP, where I ideally want to access the files.

Any ideas why this could be happening? Is there any way to force a manual sync? I'm using Catalina on my MBP.

Thanks.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Sign out and back in on your iCloud MBP and the folder should show. Sometimes, iCloud syncing gets stuck. You could also try and wait it out. When this happens to me, I do the log out route and it triggers the sync.

 

[Quackington]

Sign out and back in on your iCloud MBP and the folder should show. Sometimes, iCloud syncing gets stuck. You could also try and wait it out. When this happens to me, I do the log out route and it triggers the sync.

Thanks for this. I was going to do this, but I found another solution whilst googling the problem. The suggestion was to just create an empty folder in the iCloud drive from the machine where the sync isn't taking place. I did that, and voila, it worked. The new PDF folder I added earlier today appeared on my MBP. Glad I didn't have to log out and log back in again. I think when you sign out on a laptop, it saves a copy of the iCloud drive locally first...which is good security but not something I needed in this instance.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks for this. I was going to do this, but I found another solution whilst googling the problem. The suggestion was to just create an empty folder in the iCloud drive from the machine where the sync isn't taking place. I did that, and voila, it worked. The new PDF folder I added earlier today appeared on my MBP. Glad I didn't have to log out and log back in again. I think when you sign out on a laptop, it saves a copy of the iCloud drive locally first...which is good security but not something I needed in this instance.

It will only save a copy on your device if you elect to do so. Glad you were able to get it working.

 

[fobonac]

Sign out and back in on your iCloud MBP and the folder should show. Sometimes, iCloud syncing gets stuck. You could also try and wait it out. When this happens to me, I do the log out route and it triggers the sync.

It still doesn't work for me with my M1 MBP. I've been on the phone with Apple's senior technicians for two weeks now and they just transfered my account to the engineer team.

Am I the only one that can't work this out?

 

[Quackington]

It still doesn't work for me with my M1 MBP. I've been on the phone with Apple's senior technicians for two weeks now and they just transfered my account to the engineer team.

Am I the only one that can't work this out?

Have you tried creating a new folder on iCloud from the affected Mac? That resolved my problem.

 

[fobonac]

Have you tried creating a new folder on iCloud from the affected Mac? That resolved my problem.

Yes, I really tried everything. I'm supposed to get an answer from the Apple next week (they seem to not know about this issue...) and now I just hope that there is a fix on this issue in the 11.2 macOS.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Yes, I really tried everything. I'm supposed to get an answer from the Apple next week (they seem to not know about this issue...) and now I just hope that there is a fix on this issue in the 11.2 macOS.

Did you upgrade to Big Sur or clean install? If the former, have you tried the latter? Sometimes, a Clea install fixes nuisances like this.

 

[fobonac]

Did you upgrade to Big Sur or clean install? If the former, have you tried the latter? Sometimes, a Clea install fixes nuisances like this.

Yes. My MBP is brand new and came with Big Sur 11.1. I also did a clean install and nothing works.
On my desktop and document files, there is a doted blank cloud. If I put my cursor over it, it says: « Waiting for loading »
But nothing happens.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Yes. My MBP is brand new and came with Big Sur 11.1. I also did a clean install and nothing works.
On my desktop and document files, there is a doted blank cloud. If I put my cursor over it, it says: « Waiting for loading »
But nothing happens.

That sounds like a server problem on Apple's side.

 

[fobonac]

That sounds like a server problem on Apple's side.

You’re right. I hope it will be fixed on macOS 11.2.