How to Save Everything from iCloud to Mac

This guide walks you through downloading all your iCloud data—photos, files, contacts, calendars, mail, and more—to your Mac. You’ll learn how to create local copies of everything, either as a full iCloud backup or as individual exports, so you have a safe offline archive. Before you start, make sure your Mac is running the latest macOS and you have enough free disk space for the data you’re about to download.

What You’ll Need

• A Mac with macOS Catalina or later (for iCloud Drive and Photos exports).
• Your Apple ID and password, plus two-factor authentication code if enabled.
• Enough free storage on your Mac—check Apple menu > About This Mac > Storage.
• A stable internet connection (Wi-Fi recommended for large downloads).
• Optional: an external hard drive if you want a separate backup.

Step-by-Step

1. Download All iCloud Drive Files

1. Open Finder and click iCloud Drive in the sidebar (if you don’t see it, go to Finder > Preferences > Sidebar and check iCloud Drive).
2. Select all files and folders by pressing Cmd+A.
3. Right-click and choose Download Now. This forces every file to download locally—look for the cloud-with-arrow icon to disappear.
4. Once all files are downloaded, copy them to a folder on your Mac (e.g., Documents > iCloud Backup) by dragging or using Cmd+C / Cmd+V.

2. Export All Photos and Videos

1. Open the Photos app.
2. Go to Photos > Settings > iCloud and make sure Download Originals to this Mac is selected. This will start downloading full-resolution media.
3. Wait until all photos are downloaded (check the bottom of the window for progress).
4. Select everything: click Library in the sidebar, then press Cmd+A.
5. Go to File > Export > Export Unmodified Originals. Choose a folder, keep all options default, and click Export.

3. Save Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders

1. Open the Contacts app. Select all contacts (Cmd+A), then go to File > Export > Contacts Archive (or Export vCard for individual files). Save the .abbu file.
2. Open the Calendar app. In the sidebar, click the calendar you want to export (e.g., “Home”). Go to File > Export > Export. Save the .ics file. Repeat for each calendar.
3. For Reminders, there’s no direct export in macOS. Instead, use the Reminders app on iPhone: go to a list, tap the share button, and choose Copy or send via email as a .ics file. Or use a third-party tool like “Reminders Export” (search the App Store).

4. Download Mail and Attachments

1. Open the Mail app.
2. Select all emails in a mailbox (click the mailbox, then Cmd+A).
3. Go to File > Export Mailbox. Choose a location and save. This creates an .mbox file that you can re-import later.
4. To save individual attachments, open the email, right-click the attachment, and choose Save Attachment.

5. Save Notes, Safari Bookmarks, and Passwords

1. Open Notes. Select all notes (Cmd+A), then go to File > Export as PDF (or copy and paste into a text file). For a full backup, use the “Export Notes” feature in the app’s File menu if available.
2. For Safari bookmarks: open Safari, go to File > Export Bookmarks. Save the .html file.
3. Passwords are stored in Keychain. To back them up, open Keychain Access (in Utilities). Go to File > Export Items and save as a .p12 file. You’ll need to set a password—store it safely.

6. Create a Full iCloud Backup (Optional but Recommended)

1. On your Mac, go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
2. Scroll down and click Manage next to “Backups”.
3. If you have an iPhone or iPad backup stored, you can download it by selecting it and clicking Download. This gives you a local copy of the device backup.
4. Note: This only backs up device settings and app data, not media already in iCloud.

Common Mistakes

• Not waiting for downloads to finish before copying. Always check that cloud icons are gone.
• Exporting “Optimized” photos instead of originals—this gives you low-res copies.
• Forgetting to export each calendar separately; the “Export” option only exports one calendar at a time.
• Assuming iCloud Drive files are automatically local—they may be “online only” until you download them.
• Not checking disk space first; large libraries can fill your disk mid-export.

Tips

• Use an external drive for the final archive to avoid cluttering your Mac.
• For photos, use “Export Unmodified Originals” to preserve metadata and edits as separate files.
• If you have a lot of data, do it in batches—export a few months of photos at a time.
• Keep your Apple ID password and recovery keys in a safe place; you’ll need them to re-import.
• Test the exported files by opening a few to ensure they’re not corrupted.

Troubleshooting

• Downloads never finish: Check your internet connection and restart the download. If it’s stuck, sign out of iCloud and sign back in (backup first).
• Photos export fails or is missing items: Ensure you’ve selected “Download Originals” and wait for the progress indicator to finish. If errors occur, try exporting in smaller selections.
• Contacts export shows a blank file: Make sure you have selected all contacts; sometimes the selection is empty if you’re in a search view.
• Mail export is greyed out: You need to select a mailbox first, not just a message. Click the mailbox name in the sidebar.
• Can’t find iCloud Drive in Finder: Go to Finder > Preferences > Sidebar and check iCloud Drive. If it’s still missing, go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud and enable iCloud Drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this delete my iCloud data?

No. Downloading or exporting copies the data to your Mac; everything remains in iCloud.

Can I save iCloud data to an external drive directly?

Yes, for most exports you can choose the external drive as the destination. For iCloud Drive, you can copy the downloaded files to the drive.

What about iCloud Keychain (passwords)?

Keychain Access can export passwords, but it’s easier to use the “Passwords” section in System Settings and manually copy them, or use a dedicated password manager.

Will my iPhone backup from iCloud work on a new Mac?

Yes, you can download the backup and restore it to a new device via Finder or iCloud, but it’s not a direct file you can open—it’s a system backup.

How long does it take to download everything?

It depends on your internet speed and data size. For a typical 50GB library, expect several hours on a fast connection.

Can I automate this process?

You can use AppleScript or third-party apps to automate exports, but it’s safer to do it manually to ensure nothing is missed.

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