---
id: icloud.how-do-i-turn-on-icloud-drive-on-my-mac
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-turn-on-icloud-drive-on-my-mac
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud Drive basics"
question: "How do I turn on iCloud Drive on my Mac?"
alt_questions:
  - "Enable iCloud Drive Mac"
  - "Set up iCloud Drive on macOS"
  - "iCloud Drive not showing in Finder sidebar"
  - "Sync this Mac iCloud Drive"
  - "Where do I switch on iCloud Drive?"
short_answer: "Open System Settings → your name → iCloud and turn on iCloud Drive (sometimes labelled Sync this Mac). If it's missing from Finder's sidebar, tick it in Finder → Settings → Sidebar. Storage Studio then finds it automatically."
tags: ["icloud drive", "setup", "settings"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/what-is-icloud-drive-on-a-mac", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/why-doesnt-storage-studio-find-my-icloud-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# How do I turn on iCloud Drive on my Mac?

Open **System Settings**, click your name at the top, then **iCloud**, and turn on **iCloud Drive** (on some versions the switch is labelled **Sync this Mac**). After a moment **iCloud Drive** appears in Finder's sidebar.

If it doesn't appear in Finder, open **Finder → Settings → Sidebar** and tick **iCloud Drive**.

Once it's on, Storage Studio finds it automatically — there's nothing to add or sign in to in Storage Studio. See [does Storage Studio work with iCloud Drive](https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-storage-studio-work-with-icloud-drive).