If you use iWork lotion ( Pages , Numbers , Keynote ) , you may use the iWork section of iCloud to synchronise your text file across all of your equipment — Mac OS X and Io . Sort of . While it generally work well when syncing documents among iOS devices , synchronize to and from Macs is another story . Even when syncing among iOS twist , there is potential danger — including a chance that all of your documents will disappear .

Let ’s start with the Mac .

To move an iWork papers from your Mac to iCloud , you ( 1 ) sign in to iCloud in a Web browser app and go to the iWork division , ( 2 ) click the name of the specific iWork app you desire to access and ( 3 ) drag the icon of the want written document from the Finder to the iWork app ’s webpage ( seeiCloud : synchronise for more details ) .

Article image

The iCloud main page, with an iWork item

The iCloud master page , with an iWork token

That ’s right . There is no reflexive sync between Macs and iCloud . If you later cut the document on your Mac , your changes are not mechanically updated to the written matter on iCloud . alternatively , you have to repeat the just - described subprogram . take for granted the name of the data file is unchanged , you will be ask if you want to replace the existing iCloud filing cabinet . However , if you have made changes to the iCloud variation in between these uploads , those changes will be lost when you replace the data file .

This is all in direct contrast to how software such asDropboxworks . Here , you sweep up an item to the Dropbox brochure on your Mac and it synchronise everywhere that Dropbox goes . Subsequent changes on any gimmick sync to all devices . uninfected . mere . Why does n’t iCloud study this room ?

Article image

The ~/Library/Mobile Documents folder, showing the list of my Keynote documents in iCloud

I see no good reason why Apple could n’t have an iCloud folder on your Mac that works similarly to the Dropbox concept . In fact , it would be in keeping with Apple ’s push toward “ sandboxing ” of computer programme documents . Even so , there remains a critical intellect why automatic syncing between Macs , iCloud , and iOS devices would be difficult , if not insufferable , to pull up off right now : The Mac and iOS interpretation of the same iWork document are different . When you load up a Mac version of an iWork written document into an iOS iWork app , the papers is converted to the iOS formatting . Mainly , this intend that the iOS app denude out features of the document that Io does not support . If the iOS version mechanically synced back to the Mac , replace the Mac version , you would lose all the Mac - only feature article of the text file .

Speaking of synchronize back to the Mac , while there is no automatic syncing , you’re able to manually select to download an iWork file from the iCloud internet site . The filing cabinet thread up in the Downloads pamphlet on your Mac . If the file was earlier created on your Mac , the download translation will be miss any Mac - only feature of speech . It is essentially a Mac - compatible transcript of the iOS variation of the file . banknote : Immediately after uploading a file from the Mac to iCloud , you’re able to not release around and download it ; you first have to open it in an iOS iWork app , so that it is convert to the iOS format .

It would seem that the only certain way for Apple to annul these sync issues would be for the iOS and Mac versions of iWork apps to support the exact same feature and document data formatting . I do n’t see this happening anytime shortly .

Now let ’s move on to iCloud and iOS equipment .

The well news here is that iWork documents moved from the Mac to iCloud , as well as iWork documents create on iOS equipment and synced to iCloud , will sync absolutely among all your iOS equipment . At least they should . If you retrieve that this is not happening , try turning off — and then back on — Documents & Data in preferences - > iCloud on each iOS machine . If that does n’t work , as a last resort , delete your iCloud account from your iOS devices and re - add the story to each gadget . See thisApple documentation threadfor more particular .

On last potential and serious danger : According to several thread in Apple Support Communities , such asthis one , there is chance that document synchronize via iCloud may get deleted from your iOS machine and iCloud . This can bump , for example , plainly by powering down an iOS gadget and sprain it back on .

Although this did not happen to me when I adjudicate to replicate the symptom ( and I ca n’t say I was disappointed ) , it has been confirmed by numerous postings to the Apple Support ribbon . While no one has report a trusted way to prevent the deletions or why some are victim to the microbe and others are not , there are several suggest solution for retrieving the missing documents .

The ~/Library / Mobile Documents folder , evince the list of my Keynote documents in iCloud

One recovery method acting affect go to the Mobile Documents.delete folder in the home directory Library of your Mac . To get to the Library folder ( which is invisible in Lion ) , hold down the choice key when get at the Go card in the Finder ; the Library detail will appear . Select it . Once inside — and assuming you ’ve enable iCloud for iWork documents — you should at least see a leaflet send for Mobile Documents . Within this brochure will be copy of all of your iWork document presently useable in iCloud . You may also see a Mobile Documents.delete booklet . If so , this is where you ’ll get hold the document that have disappeared . To get your documents back in iCloud , follow the detailed teaching given inthis posting . For another possible solution , involve extracting the overleap documents from an iOS backup man file , check outthis appleiphoneschool.com page .

Syncing between iCloud and Macs…revisited

Surprise ! It change by reversal out that there is reflexive synchronize between Macs and iCloud after all ! It happens in the Mobile Documents leaflet . However , this is not a folder that Apple intends for end - exploiter access . So be careful when meddling here . It is of limited note value in any casing . You may observe that documents in this folder appear as folders , not actual documents . To commute one of these booklet to an iWork text file , remove the “ -tef ” from the university extension in its name . Do this with a copy , moved elsewhere , not the original . Even if you do this , the written document will not open in the Mac versions of iWork document . It remain in an iOS - only format .

Keynote ’09

Numbers ’09