Can iCloud Drive files be reliably backed up to an external drive via Time Machine, or are they inherently non-verifiable?

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Level 1

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Can iCloud Drive files be reliably backed up to an external drive via Time Machine, or are they inherently non-verifiable?

Hello all,

I’m trying to conclusively determine whether all iCloud Drive files can be reliably and verifiably backed up to an external hard drive using Time Machine, and I have not been able to find a definitive answer despite extensive testing.

My intended model (what I’m trying to achieve)

• iCloud Drive is used as a sync service, not a backup

• All iCloud Drive files exist fully on my Mac’s internal drive

• Time Machine backs up everything on the internal drive, including iCloud Drive

• External drive therefore contains a true, independent copy of all files (readable without iCloud access)

This mirrors how Dropbox works when files are fully local (the system I’m currently using, which is working as I intend it to).

⸻

My system & settings

• macOS (current version)

• Plenty of free space on:

• Internal drive

• iCloud storage

• External Time Machine drive

• Optimize Mac Storage: OFF

• External Time Machine drive always connected

• Time Machine running hourly

⸻

Tests performed

1. Created new folders and files directly in iCloud Drive

2. Right-clicked folders → Keep Downloaded

3. Opened files locally to force download

4. Restarted Mac multiple times

5. Waited through multiple Time Machine backup cycles

6. Verified that:

• Files are visible in Finder

• Files appear inside Time Machine’s interface

7. However:

• Files do not appear as normal files on the external drive

• Terminal shows iCloud Drive directories with total 0

• There is no way to verify that the external drive contains independent copies

I’ve also learned about iCloud’s “evicted files” behavior, which suggests that even with Optimize Mac Storage turned off, macOS may still remove local file data opportunistically.

⸻

My core questions

1. Is there any supported way to guarantee that all iCloud Drive files exist fully and persistently on the local drive?

2. Can Time Machine create a truly independent backup of iCloud Drive files, or does it only preserve references/snapshots that still depend on iCloud?

3. Is there any verifiable indicator (file size, location, flag, command) that proves an iCloud file is physically present and backed up externally?

4. If the answer is no, is this:

• A known design limitation?

• An intentional architectural choice?

• Or simply undocumented behavior?

I’m not trying to use iCloud as a backup — I’m trying to back up iCloud (specifically iCloud Drive folders and documents).

At this point, I’m trying to understand whether my expectations are incompatible with iCloud Drive’s design, or whether there is a supported workflow I’ve missed.

Thank you for any technically precise clarification.

Posted on Jan 3, 2026 1:03 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

MrHoffman

Level 10

145,999 points

Jan 3, 2026 6:54 AM in response to stas37

To add to the previous sync-not-backup reply by muguy…

Here is how Apple suggests making backups of data stored in iCloud:

Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud - Apple Support

Your questions: AFAIK, no, TM doesn’t do iCloud (except in passing), no, and iCloud Drive is not integrated with TM, respectively.

If you want what you seem to want, keep the original copies somewhere local or to a local NAS or such, and don’t use iCloud.

Or write your own sync service that also includes backups whether TM or otherwise.

If the total aggregate files are relatively small and not particularly transient and aren’t shuffling among multiple clients*, copying the files from iCloud Drive to local or to NAS either periodically or on change using a local script run periodically can work.

Or assume the files are always present (and not optimized) and didn’t get corrupted somewhere along the path, and assume Apple isn’t optimizing which clients get updated as changes propagate and when, whether and whatever sequencing of those background updates are performed due to recent client usage or network access or other non-obvious details…

*this shuffling among clients is usually why people want and use iCloud Drive, too.

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Answer 2

stas37 Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 4, 2026 3:27 PM in response to stas37

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses and clarification and for confirming my understanding that iCloud Drive is primarily a sync service, not a backup solution, and that Time Machine does not reliably produce a fully independent external backup of iCloud Drive files, even with “Optimize Mac Storage” turned off.

I appreciate the distinction between sync and backup, and I can see Apple’s official guidance suggests manually archiving iCloud content that needs traditional backup. There is no way to automatically perform traditional backup from iCloud Drive. This validation of my experience and research is very helpful.

Unless any one knows of a reliable method or setting—short of manual copies—to ensure that iCloud Drive files are fully stored locally and included in external backups, I’m going to cease interacting with this chain.

Thanks again for the insights and communication. All the best to everyone.

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Answer 3

Jan 4, 2026 11:13 PM in response to stas37

Carbon Copy Cloner has an option to temporarily download, back up, and evict iCloud Drive files. I once I tested it and it worked OK.

https://support.bombich.com/hc/en-us/articles/20686419951767-Backing-up-the-content-of-cloud-storage-volumes

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Answer 4

Jan 4, 2026 8:12 AM in response to stas37

stas37 wrote: …I’m not trying to use iCloud as a backup — I’m trying to back up iCloud (specifically iCloud Drive folders and documents).

At this point, I’m trying to understand whether my expectations are incompatible with iCloud Drive’s design, or whether there is a supported workflow I’ve missed.

Very valid concerns.

I think that your expectations are outside of iCloud's design. The purpose of iCloud Drive is to make files available on different devices so you can move from your Mac to your iPad and keep working. It seems to me that inherent in this design is that there are usually only a small number of files that need to be shared in this way. iCloud isn't really meant to be used to store vast amounts of data. "Optimize," the storing of files in iCloud rather than locally, seems to be a handy trick for iPads and iPhones that have very limited on-device storage, but I think there is expected to be one device that keeps the sharing files loaded and backed up.

This is how I use iCloud Photos. I keep the pictures I want to share with friends and family on my internal drive of my Mac, and I use "Optimize" only on my phone. Pictures that I don't need to share are on external drives. I use Time Machine for backup. Works great.

Every attempt to treat iCloud Drive as off-site storage seems to involve awkward work-arounds that cause people to complain that iCloud doesn't work right. I think it works pretty well for what it's designed to do.

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Answer 5

muguy

Level 10

91,322 points

Jan 3, 2026 5:19 AM in response to stas37

iCloud is not a backup, it is a synchronization service. Provided that you have not enabled optimize storage option in iCloud, all files remain on your Mac and are backed up using Time Machine. Browse the Time Machine backup in finder to see your files.

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Answer 6

Bigwaff

Level 1

65 points

Jan 3, 2026 6:52 AM in response to stas37

stas37 wrote:

I’m not trying to use iCloud as a backup — I’m trying to back up iCloud (specifically iCloud Drive folders and documents).

At this point, I’m trying to understand whether my expectations are incompatible with iCloud Drive’s design, or whether there is a supported workflow I’ve missed.

Thank you for any technically precise clarification.

iCloud written about in great detail. You might find answers to your questions.

https://eclecticlight.co/?s=icloud

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