Files on iPad and iCloud

Whether or not you are able to move files from your iPad local storage to iCloud will be principally determined by your installed version of iOS/iPadOS - the type of file - and whether or not the file is associated with a specific App on your iPad.

Assuming that your iPad has iOS12 or later installed…

Some files are associated with a specific App - and will be stored within the App’s own “file library” (not to be confused with a new iPad App Library “feature” of the similar name). Some file libraries (those identifiable by a the App icon being overlaid the folder icon visible within the native Files App) are synchronised with iCloud; removal of files in these iPad folders will delete the corresponding file in iCloud. The key point here is whether or not the folder, containing files, has an App icon overlaid on its icon; those that do are linked with an App installed on your devices - and are synchronised with iCloud.

Some App file libraries are not exposed in the Files App - but may still be synchronised with iCloud. These files are only visible to the App within which they are stored - and are inaccessible to the native Files App. These files cannot be directly manipulated - but you may be able to export a copy of a file using the App’s Share feature - if available within the App. The shared file may be stored elsewhere.

Other files, not associated with a specific App file library, may be visible with the Files App. These files can be freely moved or deleted without affecting other files stored on your iPad or in iCloud Files. As such, these files can be easily moved from your iPad, to iCloud, releasing storage space on the device.

For files exposed in the Files App, but stored on the iPad within an App file library (i.e., the corresponding folder has the associated App icon overlaid on the folder icon), you can manually copy or move a file (using the Files App) from the iPad to an iCloud folder; you should create a folder in iCloud to receive these files.

Hopefully this overview will help you to understand both what - and how - you can independently store in iCloud Files.

Whether or not you are able to move files from your iPad local storage to iCloud will be principally determined by your installed version of iOS/iPadOS - the type of file - and whether or not the file is associated with a specific App on your iPad.

Not really. Regardless of iOS / iPadOS version installed, files can be copied onto iCloud Drive. They as you clearly point out further down do not need to be associated with an App at all either.

LotusPilot wrote:

Other files, not associated with a specific App file library, may be visible with the Files App. These files can be freely moved or deleted without affecting other files stored on your iPad or in iCloud Files. As such, these files can be easily moved from your iPad, to iCloud, releasing storage space on the device.

Also no exactly accurate. Anything on iCloud that is seen and opened on the iPad will haver a local copy on the iPad and use space on the iPad. You cannot have something solely on iCloud. If this local copy is deleted from the iPad it will sync to iCloud and will also delete it from there.

Completely accurate - although I concede that I’m not referring to locally “cached” copies - only actual files.

As I have outlined, it is possible to “manage” and store files solely (aside from cached data) within iCloud. Key is understanding the nature of the container within which files are stored.

To cite an example - photos within the Photo Library can, if so configured, use the Photos in iCloud (this being the iCloud-synchronised file-library for photos). When Photos in iCloud is enabled, a photo deleted from iPad, or iCloud, is also removed from the mirrored file library. You will note here that the Photo Library is also not exposed in the native Files App.

However, when using a third-party file management App, photos can be copied to an iCloud folder that is outside of the Photo file-library. These photo files can be independently managed - allowing, in this example, files to be stored in iCloud Files (not iCloud Photos) - permitting deletion from iPad. In this specific instance, deleting a photo from the iPad will delete the mirrored file in iCloud photos - but not iPad Files.

LotusPilot wrote

However, when using a third-party file management App, photos can be copied to an iCloud folder that is outside of the Photo file-library. These photo files can be independently managed - allowing, in this example, files to be stored in iCloud Files (not iCloud Photos) - permitting deletion from iPad. In this specific instance, deleting a photo from the iPad will delete the mirrored file in iCloud photos - but not iPad Files.

This is true. However, those photos in iCloud Drive will by definition have a local version cached when you open them. If you delete the file that appears in iCloud Drive it will delete the local cached copy with it. It also has the downside of not being able to see said photos in the Photos app adding an extra level of confusion.

Yes, you can move files to iCloud Drive out of the apps that sync them. But that will not mean much in space saving if you then need to open them again as it will automatically create a local cached copy.

The thing here is you now have to be very specific of how the file was placed on iCloud and wether or not it has been opened at least once since being moved there. Once opened, the local cached copy is undeletable since there is no way to see it and as such any space you gained will again be used up with no way to get it back unless you delete the copy in iCloud Drive.

This can get very confusing, so not something generally suggested for file management.

My description relating to photos was only a single example - and I’ll happily provide dozens more. You needn’t get bogged down in cached copies - as its an irrelevance to the issue being discussed.

It may not be a trivial process, but neither is is complex. When the basic principles of the iOS/iPadOS file system is understood, it’s not difficult.

For most file types, the native Files App is adequate; for managing photos, per my initial example, a better File Manager App is required. If the OP requires specific help, I’ll be delighted to provide enlightenment as required.

You cannot. iCloud is. syncing service. If you delete anything from the iPad that synced to iCloud it will delete it from iCloud too.