How to share files and folders in iCloud Drive with iOS 13.4

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Learn how to use the long-awaited Folder Sharing feature in iCloud Drive in iOS 13.4.

Image: CNET

Apple announced at WWDC 2019 folder sharing in iCloud Drive for iOS 13; however, due to complications and time constraints, the feature wasn’t available when iOS 13 was released to the public. Apple finally released the feature in the beta of iOS 13.4. It won’t be long until iOS 13.4 is released to the public, and you’ll be able to share folders in iCloud Drive on your own devices.

SEE: Apple’s 5 most important business products of the decade (free PDF) (TechRepublic) 

How to share a folder in iCloud Drive

Sharing a folder means that you share the folder and all of its contents. To share folders in iCloud Drive, perform these steps.

  1. Launch the Files app.

  2. Navigate to an iCloud Drive folder that you’d like to share.

  3. Press and hold the folder until the menu appears.

  4. Select Share.

  5. Select Add People.

  6. Select a share method from the options: Messages, Mail, Copy Link, and so on (Figure A).

Figure A 

ios134folder-figure-a.jpg

Sharing folders with iCloud Drive works just like sharing an individual file.

Cory Bohon / TechRepublic

How to change access rights of shared folders in iCloud Drive

To change the access rights for a folder and its contents, follow these steps.

  1. Open the Files app.

  2. Navigate to the shared iCloud Drive folder.

  3. Press and hold the folder.

  4. Select Share.

  5. Select Show People (Figure B).

  6. Tap a person in the Show People list. There will be two options: Can Make Changes and View Only. To completely remove the user’s access, tap Stop Sharing. You can also change the options for access to that folder by selecting Only People You Invite or Anyone With The Link.

Figure B

ios134folder-figure-b.jpg

Through this screen, you can change the access rights of users, or remove them completely once invited.

Tap on a person in the Show People list to get an option to change their permissions between the two options of “Can make changes” and “View only.” You can also remove the users access.

You can also tap the “Stop Sharing” option to remove sharing completely. You can also change the options for access from “Only people you invite,” to “Anyone with the link” for broader access as needed.

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