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User profile for user: DesignThinking
DesignThinking Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

iCloud sharing does not work between M1 Macs

iCloud file sharing between Macs does not work. The person I'm trying to share with (also on an M1 Mac) when they click the share link get the message "This item is no longer being shared".


This is untrue. The folder is marked as shared on my Mac.


There is so little documentation available on how PRECISELY you are supposed to use iCloud sharing, that I have no idea if this is a problem with the way I have set up sharing at my end or a problem at their end.


Could anyone point me to any technical support pages on the web that detail the "dos and do nots" of iCloud file sharing between Macs. Apple provides short shrift in terms of detail, being more concerned with selling the "feature". And iCloud itself provides little to no user feedback.


Thanks for any help.


p.s. We are not AT ALL interested in sharing with iOS or PadOS devices — I notice that this it what nearly all articles on the web appear to focus on.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.1

Posted on Feb 4, 2022 1:56 AM

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User profile for user: David McKinlay
David McKinlay
User level: Level 7
22,948 points

Posted on Feb 4, 2022 2:13 AM

iCloud file sharing between Macs does not work

It works between two M1 Macs in our household.


Could anyone point me to any technical support pages


Share folders with iCloud Drive

On a Mac

To share folders in iCloud Drive on your Mac, you need macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or later. 

How to share a folder

  1. In the Finder, select iCloud Drive from the sidebar.
  2. Select the folder you wish to share.
  3. Click Share  , then choose Add People .
  4. Select how you want to send the invitation: Mail, Messages, Copy Link, or Airdrop, for example.
  5. To edit who can access the folder and the permissions, click Share Options. You can share the folder with only people you invite, or anyone with the link. You can also give permission to make changes or view files only.
  6. Click Share, then add the relevant contact information of the people you want to share with. 


How to invite participants, remove participants, or change sharing settings

  1. Control-click on the shared folder in iCloud Drive, then click Share in the dropdown menu. You can also highlight the shared folder, then click Share.
  2. Click Show People .
  3. From here, you can do these things: 
    • Invite participants: Click Add People , then choose how you'd like to send your invitation.
    • Remove participants: Hold the pointer over the participant's name, then click More . Then choose Remove Access.
    • Change sharing settings: Click the triangle next to Share Options. If "Only people you invite" can access your shared folder, you can control sharing settings for each participant. Hold the pointer over the person's name, then click More  to change the permissions.
    • Stop sharing: Click the triangle next to Share Options, then click Stop Sharing. You can also simply move or delete the folder from iCloud Drive, and participants will no longer be able to access the folder or its files.


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Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: David McKinlay
David McKinlay
User level: Level 7
22,948 points

Feb 4, 2022 2:13 AM in response to DesignThinking

iCloud file sharing between Macs does not work

It works between two M1 Macs in our household.


Could anyone point me to any technical support pages


Share folders with iCloud Drive

On a Mac

To share folders in iCloud Drive on your Mac, you need macOS Catalina 10.15.4 or later. 

How to share a folder

  1. In the Finder, select iCloud Drive from the sidebar.
  2. Select the folder you wish to share.
  3. Click Share  , then choose Add People .
  4. Select how you want to send the invitation: Mail, Messages, Copy Link, or Airdrop, for example.
  5. To edit who can access the folder and the permissions, click Share Options. You can share the folder with only people you invite, or anyone with the link. You can also give permission to make changes or view files only.
  6. Click Share, then add the relevant contact information of the people you want to share with. 


How to invite participants, remove participants, or change sharing settings

  1. Control-click on the shared folder in iCloud Drive, then click Share in the dropdown menu. You can also highlight the shared folder, then click Share.
  2. Click Show People .
  3. From here, you can do these things: 
    • Invite participants: Click Add People , then choose how you'd like to send your invitation.
    • Remove participants: Hold the pointer over the participant's name, then click More . Then choose Remove Access.
    • Change sharing settings: Click the triangle next to Share Options. If "Only people you invite" can access your shared folder, you can control sharing settings for each participant. Hold the pointer over the person's name, then click More  to change the permissions.
    • Stop sharing: Click the triangle next to Share Options, then click Stop Sharing. You can also simply move or delete the folder from iCloud Drive, and participants will no longer be able to access the folder or its files.


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User profile for user: DesignThinking
DesignThinking Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Feb 6, 2022 5:36 PM in response to David McKinlay

Thanks for your reply, David — and for the detailed instructions. Much appreciated.


Unfortunately, this is precisely what I did… But when my colleague clicks the 'share' link, they just get the message "This item is no longer being shared". So this confirms that we are experiencing an iCloud glitch.


On my Mac, I can see the "item" (the folder), and on right-clicking on the shared folder and checking the people it is shared with, my colleagues name is listed there. Everything is set up as you describe — and it does not work.


I understand iCloud sharing is working for you, but it does not work for us. This after numerous restarts, logging in and out of iCloud, etc. It is this inconsistency (it working for some but not others) that undermines any confidence I have in using iCloud for work-related files (i.e. the loss of which would have serious business cost to us). As a Mac user since the late 1980s, I know networking on the Mac has always been hit and miss — seems that iCloud is continuing that legacy!


I will check back on iCloud in 12 months or so to see whether Apple have given it the attention it needs (and which they can now surely afford!). Until then, we will go with Dropbox, which seems a lot more reliable.

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iCloud sharing does not work between M1 Macs

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