icloud-backup: The iCloud backup tool I always wanted
The iCloud backup tool allows users to create append-only backups of iCloud Photos, Drive, Notes, and Contacts to any locally-mounted directory. It operates without network calls to Apple by directly reading local SQLite databases. Users can run various backup commands and ensure compatibility with different file systems.
- ▪The tool is macOS-only and requires specific settings to be enabled for proper functionality.
- ▪Backups can be made to any locally-mounted directory, including external SSDs and USB sticks.
- ▪The backup process is designed to be crash-safe, with atomic writes and the ability to rebuild manifests if lost.
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icloud-backup Append-only backup of iCloud Photos, Drive (Desktop & Documents), Notes, and Contacts to any locally-mounted directory. macOS-only. No network calls to Apple — reads local SQLite databases directly via macos-ts. icloud-backup all /Volumes/icloud-backup-evan Install # Standalone binary (darwin-arm64 or darwin-x64) curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/evantahler/icloud-backup/main/install.sh | bash Prerequisites (one-time) Photos.app → Settings → iCloud → "Download Originals to this Mac" System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → iCloud Drive → "Desktop & Documents Folders" = on Full Disk Access for your terminal app (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Full Disk Access) Mount your destination(s) at stable paths Run icloud-backup doctor to verify all of the above before…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at GitHub.