How to sync the Downloads folder to iCloud

Downloads is a special folder that's expected by other apps to be in the User's folder. I tried some things but, not too surprisingly, Downloads can't be deleted and replaced with an alias.

This applies to Desktop and Documents folders, as well, so iCloud does some special wizardry, including keeping them still in the User's folder but making them invisible and magically connected. It's possible similar magic can be done directly through the Terminal but, personally, I gave that stuff up years ago…

Have you tried to set the browser to download to some iCloud Drive folder?

BTW iCloud Drive folders are a bit strange so please report how it works.

For example, GraphicConverter can not browse or open iCloud Drive images via its File open dialog (via Finder it works). GC author said that Apple did never design the iCloud for browsing by third party apps. A workaround is to enable GC > Preferences... > Browser > Display 1 > Hidden files & folders. The only minor annoyance with that setting is that then invisible items like .DS_Store etc (even when "Show: Files & folders with prefix . (dot)" is OFF) clutter the Browser view.

Matti Haveri wrote: …For example, GraphicConverter can not browse or open iCloud Drive images via its File open dialog (via Finder it works).

Wow-- that's weird. GraphicConverter File>Open works for me with iCloud Drive (though there was something strange going on when I first tried it.) But Browse iCloud Drive crashes GC. If I Browse Desktop (which it does not acknowledge is in iCloud Drive) then it works normally. Hmm.

In Safari Settings>General