iCloud Sync

Table of Contents

1. Sync Basics
2. Drafts Pro Sharing
3. About iCloud Drive
4. Compatibility Status
5. Troubleshooting Sync

Sync Basics

Drafts syncs across all iOS and macOS devices and backs up data to iCloud. Sync requires the same iCloud account be signed in on all devices and iCloud Drive be active. Information synchronized to iCloud include:

• Drafts
• Draft version history
• Actions and action groups
• Logs of actions performed
• Workspaces
• Settings and configuration options, including editor options
• Credentials for services used in actions
• Drafts Pro subscription status

If an iCloud account is available when Drafts is installed, sync is enabled automatically. Even if you only have Drafts installed on a single device, it is highly recommended you leave iCloud sync active to protect your data so it could be restored in a new installation.

Drafts supports Apple’s Advanced Data Protection for iCloud by storing draft content (not metadata) in end-to-end encrypted fields. For details about ADP support, see the separate ADP article.

Drafts Pro Sharing

Drafts Pro subscriptions can be purchased on either iOS or Mac, but the App Stores on these platforms do not share purchases directly…so “Restore Purchases” will not work on a Mac, if you purchased your subscription on iOS or vice versa.

Pro subscriptions will automatically be shared across platforms, however, if you are using the same iCloud account. If you are using the same iCloud account and your Pro subscription is not automatically recognized, please contact support.

About iCloud Drive

Drafts syncs using CloudKit, the same iCloud technology that lies beneath iCloud Drive, Notes, and other Apple services. It does not sync via files. Drafts can export and import to files in iCloud Drive, but content in Drafts is not directly visible in iCloud Drive.

Compatibility Status

Drafts tries to maintain compatibility across versions of Drafts, but occassionally changes require all versions of Drafts syncing be updated to retain compatibility and avoid potential data loss when accessing and updating cloud data. If you get a warning when launching Drafts about sync being disabled, simply visit the App Store and update to the latest available version of Drafts to restore sync.

Troubleshooting Sync

Work through the items below if you are experiencing trouble with Drafts syncing between your devices.

Be aware that a sync problem is usually specific to one device. Go through these steps on each device on which you use Drafts

• Install Updates
  • Check your updates in the App Store app, and be sure you have updated to the most recent version of Drafts.
  • Check in iOS Settings/Mac System Settings > General > Software Updates. If possible, update your OS version to the most recent available.
• Restart Your Devices
  • Power off-on your devices. Often a sync glitch is a temporary system issue that can be resolve by a simple restart. It’s a good place to start.
• In Drafts, Open Settings, go to “iCloud”
  1. The sync toggle is OFF…
     • Turn it on. That may be the only problem, sync should resume.
  2. The sync toggle is DISABLED, and cannot be turned on…
     • This indicates a system-level problem with iCloud, do the following:
       1. Enable sync logging: Lower on the Settings > iCloud screen, enable sync logging.
       2. Open the iOS Settings app, or System Settings on Mac
       3. Select your Apple Account
       1. Confirm that your account is logged in and reports no errors (e.g. sometimes just opening this screen will trigger a request for a password that indicates a temporary problem)
       2. Be sure you using the same Apple Account on all your devices running Drafts
       3. Select iCloud, then “Apps Using iCloud”. Does Drafts have permissions to use iCloud in this list? If so, try toggling that off and back on (this sometimes resets temporary permissions issues for apps)
          1. Sync still not resuming? Return to Drafts Settings > iCloud, and open a support ticket with the sync log. It should include the information we need to further troubleshoot.
  3. The sync toggle is ON…
     • Lower on the Settings > iCloud screen, enable sync logging.
     • Exit Settings, and go do a couple of minor change - create a new draft, edit one, etc.
     • Return to Settings > iCloud, and open a support ticket with the sync log. It should include the information we need to further troubleshoot.

Once you have resolved sync issues, we recommend you disabled sync logging in Drafts Settings > iCloud if you enabled it as part of the troubleshooting process.

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Table of contents

• Advanced Data Protection

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