{"id":"icloud.can-i-back-up-icloud-drive-to-an-external-drive","url":"/faq/icloud/can-i-back-up-icloud-drive-to-an-external-drive","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"icloud-and-external-drives","title":"iCloud and external drives"},"question":"How do I keep a copy of my iCloud Drive on an external drive?","alt_questions":["Back up iCloud Drive to external hard drive","Copy iCloud Drive to SSD","Download all iCloud Drive files to a drive","Second copy of iCloud files","Archive iCloud Drive locally"],"short_answer":"Download the files first (right-click → Download Now), then copy them to the drive in Finder, back them up with Time Machine, or add them to a Storage Studio Data Backup set that keeps restorable versions.","answer_markdown":"Make sure the files are downloaded, then copy them to the drive. An online-only file has no local contents to copy, so download what you want to keep first — right-click the folder in iCloud Drive and choose **Download Now**.\n\nWays to keep the copy:\n\n1. **Copy in Finder** — drag folders from iCloud Drive to the external drive. This is a one-off snapshot.\n2. **Time Machine** — backs up the iCloud files that are downloaded on your Mac.\n3. **Storage Studio Data Backup** — add the folders you want and pick another drive as the destination; each run keeps a new version you can restore from.\n\nCheck your free space before downloading a large iCloud Drive. See [backups](/faq/backups/).","answer_html":"

Make sure the files are downloaded, then copy them to the drive. An online-only file has no local contents to copy, so download what you want to keep first — right-click the folder in iCloud Drive and choose Download Now.

\n

Ways to keep the copy:

\n
  1. Copy in Finder — drag folders from iCloud Drive to the external drive. This is a one-off snapshot.
  2. Time Machine — backs up the iCloud files that are downloaded on your Mac.
  3. Storage Studio Data Backup — add the folders you want and pick another drive as the destination; each run keeps a new version you can restore from.
\n

Check your free space before downloading a large iCloud Drive. See backups.

","answer_text":"Make sure the files are downloaded, then copy them to the drive. An online-only file has no local contents to copy, so download what you want to keep first — right-click the folder in iCloud Drive and choose Download Now.\n\nWays to keep the copy:\n\n1. Copy in Finder — drag folders from iCloud Drive to the external drive. This is a one-off snapshot.\n2. Time Machine — backs up the iCloud files that are downloaded on your Mac.\n3. Storage Studio Data Backup — add the folders you want and pick another drive as the destination; each run keeps a new version you can restore from.\n\nCheck your free space before downloading a large iCloud Drive. See backups.","tags":["icloud drive","backup","external drive"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.is-icloud-drive-a-backup","question":"Is iCloud Drive a backup of my Mac?","url":"/faq/icloud/is-icloud-drive-a-backup"},{"id":"icloud.should-i-use-icloud-or-an-external-drive","question":"Should I keep my files in iCloud or on an external drive?","url":"/faq/icloud/should-i-use-icloud-or-an-external-drive"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I keep a copy of my iCloud Drive on an external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Download the files first (right-click → Download Now), then copy them to the drive in Finder, back them up with Time Machine, or add them to a Storage Studio Data Backup set that keeps restorable versions.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"How do I keep a copy of my iCloud Drive on an external drive?","path":"/faq/icloud/can-i-back-up-icloud-drive-to-an-external-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-back-up-icloud-drive-to-an-external-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I keep a copy of my iCloud Drive on an external drive?","alternateName":["Back up iCloud Drive to external hard drive","Copy iCloud Drive to SSD","Download all iCloud Drive files to a drive","Second copy of iCloud files","Archive iCloud Drive locally"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Make sure the files are downloaded, then copy them to the drive. An online-only file has no local contents to copy, so download what you want to keep first — right-click the folder in iCloud Drive and choose Download Now.\n\nWays to keep the copy:\n\n1. Copy in Finder — drag folders from iCloud Drive to the external drive. This is a one-off snapshot.\n2. Time Machine — backs up the iCloud files that are downloaded on your Mac.\n3. Storage Studio Data Backup — add the folders you want and pick another drive as the destination; each run keeps a new version you can restore from.\n\nCheck your free space before downloading a large iCloud Drive. See backups.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-back-up-icloud-drive-to-an-external-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

iCloud & iCloud Photos · iCloud and external drives

\n

How do I keep a copy of my iCloud Drive on an external drive?

\n

Short answer: Download the files first (right-click → Download Now), then copy them to the drive in Finder, back them up with Time Machine, or add them to a Storage Studio Data Backup set that keeps restorable versions.

\n

Make sure the files are downloaded, then copy them to the drive. An online-only file has no local contents to copy, so download what you want to keep first — right-click the folder in iCloud Drive and choose Download Now.

\n

Ways to keep the copy:

\n
  1. Copy in Finder — drag folders from iCloud Drive to the external drive. This is a one-off snapshot.
  2. Time Machine — backs up the iCloud files that are downloaded on your Mac.
  3. Storage Studio Data Backup — add the folders you want and pick another drive as the destination; each run keeps a new version you can restore from.
\n

Check your free space before downloading a large iCloud Drive. See backups.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}