Manage iWork documents with iCloud – iWork & iCloud tutorial

The ability to store files with iCloud has radically changed the way people work. It means that all of your crucial documents – including presentations, spreadsheets and correspondence – can be stored simply and securely away from your device. It’s an additional failsafe so that if your Mac suddenly runs out of battery, your work isn’t lost or inaccessible until you find a place to charge. It also means that if you’re frequently moving between different machines, such as between the office and home, you don’t have to worry about emailing everything across or transferring it with an external drive. Managing documents produced with iWork apps couldn’t be simpler on iCloud – just follow the steps to see how the process works.

Step 1: Set up iCloud

In Preferences click on the iCloud icon under Internet & Wireless. You’ll be asked to enter your existing Apple ID and also to agree to the terms.

Step 2: What to sync?

Select which apps you’d like iCloud to store online. For now we’re just ticking Documents & Data, but it’s worth returning to explore its full compatibility.

Step 3: Open up Pages

Next time you launch an iWork app, you’ll see a window asking if you want to move any previous documents to iCloud. Drag and drop as required.

Step 4: Text

The next time you create a new document with the app, you will be asked whether you want to save it locally or directly to iCloud. Name it and hit Return.

Step 5: Hit up iCloud

When on another Mac, go to www.icloud.com and log in with your Apple ID. It’s worth checking ‘Keep me signed in’ if it’s a device you use regularly.

Step 6: Access iWork

Click on iWork and it will show you a page with all of the documents which are available to download, as well as the last time that they were edited.

Step 7: Retrieve a file

Select a document on either of the three tabs, and then choose which format to open it – particularly useful if you have to switch to a Windows PC.

Step 8: Check settings

Click in the top-right to unlock more options, such as the ability to delete, duplicate and rename files – handy for keeping multiple versions of a project.

Step 9: And repeat…

Now Pages is set up, you can repeat the process for Numbers and Keynote. Remember to set up iCloud locally on iOS devices for maximum accessibility.

Click on the image below to zoom in and view the annotations.