Backup data Files to Apple Cloud

Roubaix

Is there a way to automatically back up Quicken data files to your iCloud drive?

MontanaKarl

Of course.  Open Quicken > Preferences and you'll see automatic backup options in the General tab.

Check at least the Automatically back up... checkbox.   Click the Backup Folder... button, then iCloud Drive, and finally the folder in your iCloud storage where you want the backups placed.

jacobs

In Quicken Preferences, you can select the destination for your backup files. So if you select a folder which is stored on iCloud as the destination, then that will work.

So if you have enabled your Desktop and Documents folder to be stored on iCloud, if you direct your Quicken backups to a folder in Documents, then it will actually be stored on iCloud. 

If you don't have your Desktop & Documents stored on iCloud, you can create a Quicken Backup folder on your iCloud. I don't use iCloud for storage of Quicken documents, so iCloud may create a folder for Quicken automatically, or you may need to create one manually. You can find the path for your iCloud data by navigating to [your home folder] > Library > Mobile Documents.

RickO

One more thing... DO NOT store your actual data file (other than backups) on iCloud Drive. This is not supported and likely to eventually lead to corruption of your file.

gwpotter

RickO or jacobs -- can I do this without increasing risk from what you folks recommend in this thread?

With my iMac move my Backups (and direct all future backups) to a "Documents" folder that is in iCloud. i.e. I turn on the MacOS feature that stores Documents and Desktop in iCloud.

and

On my MacBook I also have my Documents and Desktop in iCloud

and

When I am away from home (where my iMac remains) I choose to "Restore from Backup" the most recent backup which I made on my iMac just before leaving home.

And since you know where I am going -- when I return home I "Restore from Backup" the last backup I made on my MacBook while away form home.

RickO

Yes, that's exactly how we recommend exchanging a QMac file between two machines without storing the actual file in the cloud. You just have to be careful that you are always working with the most current restored version of the file. 

One other thing that may occur: Quicken may force you to reset the cloud account when you attempt to download the first time after restoring to the other machine. This is generally uneventful, but can result in duplicate transactions being downloaded in accounts connected with Quicken Connect. If you are in the habit of marking downloaded transactions as reviewed, then the duplicates can be easily removed by filtering for non-reviewed transactions.

Quicken Alyssa

@gwpotter,

To add to what the others have said, you also need to make sure that you are moving the file you are going to use off of the icloud before you open it. Using the file while it is on the cloud can cause damage. And the file you are using should not be in one of the locations on your Mac that are getting automatically synced to the icloud drive. 

The file should be local and untouched by cloud services or other third-party apps. Based on the specifics you stated above, it would go more like this.

1. On computer 1, save your backup to the cloud.
2. On computer 2, locate that backup and move it to a local unsynced drive.
3. Open the file from the local drive and use it.
When you are moving back to computer 1, repeat steps 1-3 (save to cloud, move to local, use.)

Hope this helps!



Quicken Alyssa

gwpotter

thanks