Setting up a separate iCloud account for remote imaging on a Windows computer

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Level 1

25 points

Setting up a separate iCloud account for remote imaging on a Windows computer

I do remote imaging with my telescope and collect image files all night long. I do not want to upload them to Google Drive or dropbox. I prefer to stick with iCloud even though the computer attached to my telescope is windows. I need to either add a second iCloud account or keep this windows computer from accessing my main iCloud with my personal data and downloading anything from the iCloud; it can only add to it. This windows computer will be several thousand miles away, and I will not have control of somebody hacks it

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: I need to set up either a second iCloud account or add a Windows computer that cannot view iCloud only upload folders to iCloud

iPad Pro, iPadOS 18

Posted on Aug 11, 2025 5:37 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 11, 2025 6:51 PM in response to SCTom1

If you have a Mac involved, set up the Windows PC for VPN or other remote access, and create a file share or an ssh (sftp) or other login, and periodically pull the files from the PC to the Mac. There are various app options here, with rsync being one.

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Answer 2

Aug 12, 2025 2:26 PM in response to SCTom1

At its core, you’ve architected this into mostly a Windows PC question, and a Windows security question.

This might help: https://www.intowindows.com/how-to-upload-files-to-icloud-drive-from-windows-10-11-pc/

You might be able to use an app-specific password for this access, but my Windows knowledge here is dated.

But given the exposure of that PC, I’d avoid pushing files somewhere trusted, and again suggest punching a hole through the firewall from the Mac to the Windows PC, and some scripting to pull the files.

That keeps everything valuable off the Windows PC, and grants no access to the PC.

The Window box pushes the files somewhere local that’s accessible to sftp or such, and the Mac pulls them over.

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Answer 3

SCTom1 Author

Level 1

25 points

Aug 12, 2025 9:34 AM in response to MrHoffman

Thank you. Yes, Mac or iPad at home, Windows far away. I remote in with Windows Remote desktop.

What is needed is to offload from the Windows machine to the cloud, then I download from there. Software to copy from the Windows machine to another file (or drive) in real time is installed. Was hoping for something to map as a drive to the Windows PC as that PC will not always be powered up. Google Drive may work, but I am not a fan of Google. Dropbox is more expensive than iCloud (50G storage). Once I get it into the cloud, I can then download it at my convenience.

So can iCloud be mapped as a drive in Windows? I’m sure I can buy another iCloud account.

All this needs to be simple because I am definitely not tech savvy. Rsynch is too technical for me.

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