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An iCloud Drive warning before updating to iOS 8

Use iCloud to share files between a Mac and iOS? Make sure to wait until iCloud Drive is released before opting in to the new service.

Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani
Jason Cipriani Contributing Writer, ZDNet
Jason Cipriani is based out of beautiful Colorado and has been covering mobile technology news and reviewing the latest gadgets for the last six years. His work can also be found on sister site CNET in the How To section, as well as across several more online publications.
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Jason Cipriani
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iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
The iPhone 6 next to its larger Plus sibling. Josh Miller/CNET

iCloud Drive is an integral part of the latest operating systems, iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, from Apple. The new service from Apple allows you to browse, edit, and share files from the "cloud" similar to what's currently possible with the likes of Dropbox and Google Drive.

For those who currently use iCloud to share files between Apple devices, you'll need to hold off on upgrading to iCloud Drive when iOS 8 launches on September 17.

30 tips every new iOS 8 user should know

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Content stored in iCloud Drive is only accessible from devices running iOS 8 and/or OS X Yosemite . Meaning, if you upgrade your device to iOS 8 and enable iCloud Drive, any files you store in iCloud from your iOS device will not be available on your Mac and vice versa, until Yosemite is available.

If the iOS 8 setup process remains similar to what 9to5Mac has shown here, you're given the option to upgrade to iCloud Drive or wait. Select the latter and keep using iCloud as you have been until Yosemite launches, which Apple previously announced is scheduled for the fall. Of course, this isn't a problem for you if you only share files between iOS devices or use Windows.

Then again, you could always join the public beta of Yosemite if you are set on using iCloud Drive right away.

For more helpful iOS 8 tips, be sure to check out our complete guide to iOS 8.