Which file types are "ineligible" for iCloud drive?
It seems that some files (or name thereof) are "ineligible" for iCloud drive. For example, if the file name ends with a tilde, it cannot be uploaded to iCloud drive. [Example of programs that produce file names with tilde are Emacs (for back files) and RCS (for revision files).]
Has Apple published any reference on what is (or is not) "eligible" in iCloud drive?
Solution 1:
This is not an answer but here is a partial list of kind of file names that are considered ineligible for iCloud drive.
Warning: this list is purely based on trial and error on macOS 10.12.16. As of now, there does not appear to be an official documentation on this. So this behaviour may change in future.
-
Filenames with an extension and ending with tilde. (regex:
.*\..*~) -
Filenames ending with
.tmp -
Filenames starting with
~$ -
Filenames starting with
.~ -
Directories named
tmp -
Any folder or file named
dropboxorDropboxorOneDrive.
It seems that iCloud drive tries to identify temporary files by their names and does not upload them into the clouds.
10/31/2021 Verified dropbox and onedrive were marked ineligible. Changed them to dbx and odr and they backed up. Now I'm switched to Apple ecosystem.
Solution 2:
Files over 50 GB are ineligible. From official iCloud Drive FAQ:
You can store any type of file in iCloud Drive, as long as it's 50GB or less in size (…).
Solution 3:
So answer the yes / no question you asked. No - Apple hasn't published a detailed specification listing what does and does not sync. Apple does say
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201104
You can store any type of file in iCloud Drive, as long as it's 50GB or less in size and you don't exceed your iCloud storage limit...
You shouldn't store app folders, libraries, or .tmp files in iCloud Drive.
The last sentence is curious since "shouldn't" could run from "don’t recommend" to "we actively block" and those aren't precisely the same experience.
This list of what’s included or excluded by rule isn't published for Time Machine - so there's a long history of Apple implementing and shipping systems that back up and sync files which have engineered inclusions and exclusions, but not explicitly documenting the details publicly.
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201250
Some other questions attempt to reverse-engineer and document what's implemented, though.
- How to prevent a folder to sync to iCloud