Sync documents on Mac with iPhone

[scouser75]

Hi guys, is it possible to sync documents and folders from my Mac (El Capitan) to my iPhone (iOS 13) via the Files app so that if I make any amendments to a particular document or create new documents on the Mac it automatically syncs to my iPhone?

I have a folder stored on the HD of my Mac which has a mix of Word and Excel documents, which I would like to automatically sync over rather than me have to drag and drop overtime I make an amendment.

I checked this page on Apple's site, but it doesn't work for me https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT206985

 

[barbu]

You can use iCloud Drive for this, that would greatly simplify the problem.

 

[scouser75]

You can use iCloud Drive for this, that would greatly simplify the problem.

Thanks barbu. I can use icloud, but that means having to drag and drop a modified document every time. I was hoping for a method whereby if I amend a doc on my Mac it'll auto sync on icloud drive without the need to drag n drop.

I know this is possible on the newer Mac os's. Alas as far as I know, it's not possible on my elderly El capitan.

 

[barbu]

There would be no drag and drop required if you stored the documents in question within the iCloud Drive itself, right? Or am I missing something? You could even alias your Home document folder on your Mac to the iCloud documents folder, making it a little more seamless. Let me know if I am misunderstanding something.

 

[cdcastillo]

There would be no drag and drop required if you stored the documents in question within the iCloud Drive itself...

Scouser, THIS is what you want, to make an alias of the folder with the word and excel documents you want synced (e.g., the entire Mac documents folder) unto the iCloud documents folder.

 

[scouser75]

There would be no drag and drop required if you stored the documents in question within the iCloud Drive itself, right? Or am I missing something? You could even alias your Home document folder on your Mac to the iCloud documents folder, making it a little more seamless. Let me know if I am misunderstanding something.

Scouser, THIS is what you want, to make an alias of the folder with the word and excel documents you want synced (e.g., the entire Mac documents folder) unto the iCloud documents folder.

Thanks guys. I guess I need to catch up with the modern way of doing things and drift up to the Cloud.

I'll go and Google how to make an alias later today and then move everything upwards.

 

[cdcastillo]

I just copied these instructions from other thread about creating an alias in the iCloud folder:

To do this:

• Launch Finder and locate your 'Documents' folder
• Right-click on your 'Documents' folder and select 'Make Alias'
• Drag the new alias to 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder sidebar (You'll notice the animated pie graph icon filling up to the right of 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder window as it syncs)

You can now remove the word 'Alias' from the name of the folder in iCloud drive if you'd like. There is no real technical reason for it to be there other than to remind you that it's an alias and not the original folder.

 

[scouser75]

I just copied these instructions from other thread about creating an alias in the iCloud folder:

To do this:

• Launch Finder and locate your 'Documents' folder
• Right-click on your 'Documents' folder and select 'Make Alias'
• Drag the new alias to 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder sidebar (You'll notice the animated pie graph icon filling up to the right of 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder window as it syncs)

You can now remove the word 'Alias' from the name of the folder in iCloud drive if you'd like. There is no real technical reason for it to be there other than to remind you that it's an alias and not the original folder.

Thank you cdcastillo. So does this method mean that if for example I make an amendment to a word document in the alias folder on icloud drive, that amendment will automatically sync to the original folder on my Mac hd?

PS if amendments on alias folder are synced to my mav, does that mean they would also sync even if I made amendments on my iPhone to a document when I'm out and away from my Mac?

 

[scouser75]

I just copied these instructions from other thread about creating an alias in the iCloud folder:

To do this:

• Launch Finder and locate your 'Documents' folder
• Right-click on your 'Documents' folder and select 'Make Alias'
• Drag the new alias to 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder sidebar (You'll notice the animated pie graph icon filling up to the right of 'iCloud Drive' in the Finder window as it syncs)

You can now remove the word 'Alias' from the name of the folder in iCloud drive if you'd like. There is no real technical reason for it to be there other than to remind you that it's an alias and not the original folder.

I just tried this method. Alas, it didn't work. The Alias folder once created and dropped into iCloud wouldn't show on my iPhone. I tried with a single document too, and that wouldn't show either. But non-Alias folders and documents I dragged into iCloud did show on the phone.

I checked my iCloud settings on both Mac and iPhone and they are all correct.

Could it be down to the fact that I'm on El Capitan?

 

[nicho]

Thanks barbu. I can use icloud, but that means having to drag and drop a modified document every time. I was hoping for a method whereby if I amend a doc on my Mac it'll auto sync on icloud drive without the need to drag n drop.

I know this is possible on the newer Mac os's. Alas as far as I know, it's not possible on my elderly El capitan.

Is there a reason you couldn't just move the folder to iCloud drive and be done with it?

 

[scouser75]

Is there a reason you couldn't just move the folder to iCloud drive and be done with it?

I'm a bit old school and prefer to have the documents and folders on a physical drive too (just in case something happens in the cloud and vice versa).

But I think I need to move with modern times and start storing up above. And to play it safe, will store on icloud drive and Dropbox.

But still perplexed why the Alias folders didn't drop in to icloud drive.

 

[cdcastillo]

...But still perplexed why the Alias folders didn't drop in to icloud drive.

Me too, it should have worked. Sorry I can't offer any reason why it didn’t.

 

[scouser75]

No need for apologies cdcastillo. Someone sent me a link we a tutorial on how to install later OS's on older Macs. I'm going to give this a try. Be great to have Catalina running on mine.