Leaving the Walled Garden: Moving iCloud Drive Files to Degoo

Q: "How does CloudsLinker sign in to iCloud — is that safe?"

"With your Apple ID and password plus a standard 6-digit 2FA code from a trusted device — the same challenge any new browser session gets. Make sure 'Access iCloud Data on the Web' is enabled in your Apple ID settings. The session shows up in your Apple ID device list, and you can sign it out remotely at any time."

Q: "Does Advanced Data Protection block the transfer?"

"Yes, effectively: with ADP on, iCloud Drive content is end-to-end encrypted and web-endpoint access can only list names and sizes, not read file content. Temporarily disable ADP (Settings → iCloud → Advanced Data Protection) for the migration, then re-enable it — Apple re-encrypts what remains."

Q: "How fast can data leave iCloud Drive?"

"Apple doesn't publish caps but throttles sustained high-volume sessions; practical throughput lands around 50–200 GB per day per Apple ID. A 500 GB archive is therefore a multi-day job by design — the reason an unattended, auto-resuming transfer beats a supervised one."

Q: "Will iWork files (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) work from Degoo?"

"They transfer as files — .pages, .numbers, .key — and Degoo stores them faithfully, but they're Apple-format packages that only Apple software opens. Export critical documents to Office or PDF from the iWork apps first if the point of the move is leaving Apple devices behind."

Q: "What are Degoo's limits on the receiving end?"

"Storage: 20 GB free / 500 GB Pro ($2.99/mo) / 5 TB Ultimate ($9.99/mo). Per file: 256 MB free, roughly 1 GB on lifetime deals, 50 GB on subscriptions — comfortably above iCloud's practical file sizes, and the 50 GB subscription cap exactly matches iCloud Drive's own maximum file size. Free-tier archives also face Degoo's 90-day inactivity deletion."

Q: "Can I move only my Desktop \u0026 Documents folders?"

"Yes — if you've used macOS's Desktop \u0026 Documents syncing, those appear as ordinary top-level folders in iCloud Drive, selectable like any other in the transfer setup. That pair of folders is usually the bulk of a Mac user's iCloud footprint."

Q: "What happens to my iCloud storage bill afterwards?"

"Once files are verified in Degoo and deleted from iCloud (including Recently Deleted, which holds them 30 days), you can downgrade the iCloud+ tier from your device's storage settings. Many switchers keep the free 5 GB for device backups only — that's what it's sized for."

Get files out of iCloud Drive and into Degoo's cross-platform storage — manual iCloud.com downloads vs an Apple ID-authenticated CloudsLinker transfer.

Introduction

Degoo runs the same on an Android phone, a Samsung tablet or any browser — which is exactly what iCloud Drive doesn't do well the day you carry a non-Apple device. Apple's 5 GB free tier is the smallest of any major cloud, iCloud+ pricing climbs to $9.99 a month for 2 TB, and access from outside the ecosystem funnels through iCloud.com's web interface with its 10 GB per-file upload ceiling. Degoo counters with 20 GB free, 5 TB for the same $9.99, and store apps on Google Play, Huawei and Samsung. For a switcher — or a mixed-device household — relocating the iCloud Drive archive to Degoo removes the platform lock. Two methods below, including the Apple ID + 2FA connection details that make the automated one work.

Method 1: Download via iCloud.com, Upload to Degoo
Method 2: Apple ID-Authenticated Transfer with CloudsLinker
Quick Comparison
Practical Tips
Frequently Asked Questions

What is iCloud Drive?

iCloud Drive is Apple's file storage, seamless on Apple hardware and deliberately thin everywhere else. Every Apple ID gets 5 GB free — shared with device backups and photos — and iCloud+ scales from 50 GB at $0.99/mo to 12 TB at $59.99/mo. Non-Apple access runs through iCloud.com or a limited Windows client.

5 GB free; 2 TB at $9.99/mo (iCloud+)
50 GB max file; 10 GB cap on web uploads
Desktop & Documents sync on macOS
Advanced Data Protection = optional E2E mode

What is Degoo?

Degoo is platform-agnostic consumer storage from Sweden — apps on Google Play, the App Store, Huawei AppGallery and Samsung Galaxy Store, plus a web app for subscribers. Pricing is volume-first: 20 GB free, 500 GB at $2.99/mo, 5 TB at $9.99/mo. No desktop sync client on any OS, which suits archive use.

4× Apple's free tier; 5 TB at iCloud's 2 TB price
Identical experience on Android and iOS
Paid Top Secret folder for zero-knowledge storage
90-day inactivity deletion on free accounts

Comparison: iCloud Drive vs Degoo

Feature	iCloud Drive	Degoo
Free storage	5 GB (shared with backups + photos)	20 GB (ads; 90-day activity rule)
$9.99/mo buys	2 TB (iCloud+)	5 TB (Ultimate)
Max single file	50 GB (10 GB via web upload)	256 MB free / 50 GB subscription
Android support	Browser only	Native app
Practical export throughput	~50–200 GB/day (throttled)	No download metering
Connection in CloudsLinker	Apple ID + 2FA code	Account email + password

Sources: Apple: manage iCloud storage, Apple: iCloud+ plans, Degoo: plans, Degoo Help Center: Account limits.

Preparing to Transfer from iCloud Drive to Degoo

Two Apple-side switches decide whether the migration is smooth: 'Access iCloud Data on the Web' must be on, and Advanced Data Protection (if you enabled it) must be off for the duration — with ADP active, web endpoints can't read file content. Convert must-keep iWork documents to portable formats while still on a Mac. Then plan the Degoo landing: tier sized to the archive, and awareness that a full iCloud exit runs multiple days at Apple's throttled 50–200 GB/day pace. Files sit in iCloud's Recently Deleted for 30 days after cleanup, which is your rollback window.

Method 1: Download via iCloud.com, Upload to Degoo

Step 1: Download from iCloud.com

Sign in at icloud.com/iclouddrive (Apple ID + 2FA) and download folders — the web app zips them on the fly. Downloads are single-threaded per selection and throttle on sustained volume; a Mac's synced local iCloud Drive folder is the faster source when available.

iCloud Drive web interface at icloud.com with files selected and the download action shown

Step 2: Upload to Degoo

Extract and upload through app.degoo.com (paid) or the Degoo mobile app (free). On an Android-only household this means browser downloads from iCloud and app uploads to Degoo on the same device — possible, tedious, and capped by phone storage in between.

Degoo web uploader receiving folders downloaded from iCloud Drive

Fine for documents; grim for a 300 GB Desktop & Documents archive. The next method removes both the local hop and the supervision.

Method 2: Apple ID-Authenticated Transfer with CloudsLinker

Apple gives no export tool — this is the workaround that scales

CloudsLinker authenticates with your Apple ID the way a browser does — password plus the 2FA code from a trusted device — then reads iCloud Drive through its web endpoints and streams straight into Degoo. Apple's session throttling caps the pace, not your patience: the job spreads a multi-hundred-GB exit across days on its own, pausing and resuming around Apple's limits while both your Macs and your Androids stay out of it.

Step 1: Connect iCloud Drive

Click Add Cloud → iCloud Drive. Enter your Apple ID and password; a 6-digit verification code appears on your trusted iPhone, iPad or Mac — type it in to complete the session. (No code arriving? Generate one manually from the device's Apple Account security settings.)

iCloud Drive connection in CloudsLinker with Apple ID sign-in and two-factor verification

Step 2: Connect Degoo

Click Add Cloud → Degoo, sign in with the Degoo email and password, confirm. That's the entire ceremony on this side — no 2FA, no OAuth — and the cached session persists for follow-up runs.

Degoo account credentials entered in CloudsLinker's Add Cloud dialog

Step 3: Configure the Transfer

In Transfer, set iCloud Drive as source. Desktop, Documents, and app folders appear as a normal tree — tick what moves. Choose the Degoo destination folder.

Filters rarely matter for size here (iCloud's 50 GB max equals Degoo's subscription cap), but type filters help skip .pages/.numbers packages you've decided to export by hand instead. Copy first, delete iCloud-side later.

CloudsLinker transfer setup showing iCloud Drive folders including Desktop and Documents as source and a Degoo destination folder, with copy mode selected

Step 4: Start and Monitor the Transfer

Start and let it run. The Task List shows daily progress through Apple's throttle window; multi-day jobs re-establish the session automatically. If Apple prompts a re-verification mid-job, the task flags it and waits for a fresh 2FA code.

CloudsLinker Task List showing a multi-day iCloud Drive migration progressing

Comparing the Ways to Transfer From iCloud Drive to Degoo

Method	Ease of Use	Speed	Best For	Uses Local Bandwidth	Skill Level
iCloud.com download / upload	Medium	Slow, supervised	A few folders; one-off documents	Yes — twice	Basic
CloudsLinker	Easy (one 2FA code)	Apple-throttled but unattended	Full archives; non-Apple households	No	Basic

Practical Tips for Moving iCloud Drive to Degoo

Flip the two Apple switches first: 'Access iCloud Data on the Web' on, Advanced Data Protection off (temporarily). Both live in your Apple ID / iCloud settings, and both silently break web-based transfers when set wrong.
Convert iWork documents before leaving: .pages and .numbers files transfer intact but open nowhere outside Apple software. Export to .docx/.xlsx/PDF from the iWork apps while you still have them.
Budget days, not hours: Apple's throttling makes 50–200 GB/day the realistic ceiling per Apple ID. Start the job before the weekend, not the night before the Mac goes to its new owner.
Desktop & Documents are the usual payload: if macOS synced them, they're the top-level folders of the same names — often 90% of the account's bulk.
Downgrade iCloud+ only after the 30-day window: deleted files wait in Recently Deleted for 30 days; keep the subscription through one full cycle as a rollback option.
Sign the session out afterwards: the CloudsLinker connection appears in your Apple ID's device/session list — remove it there once the migration is done.

Frequently Asked Questions

With your Apple ID and password plus a standard 6-digit 2FA code from a trusted device — the same challenge any new browser session gets. Make sure 'Access iCloud Data on the Web' is enabled in your Apple ID settings. The session shows up in your Apple ID device list, and you can sign it out remotely at any time.

Yes, effectively: with ADP on, iCloud Drive content is end-to-end encrypted and web-endpoint access can only list names and sizes, not read file content. Temporarily disable ADP (Settings → iCloud → Advanced Data Protection) for the migration, then re-enable it — Apple re-encrypts what remains.

Apple doesn't publish caps but throttles sustained high-volume sessions; practical throughput lands around 50–200 GB per day per Apple ID. A 500 GB archive is therefore a multi-day job by design — the reason an unattended, auto-resuming transfer beats a supervised one.

They transfer as files — .pages, .numbers, .key — and Degoo stores them faithfully, but they're Apple-format packages that only Apple software opens. Export critical documents to Office or PDF from the iWork apps first if the point of the move is leaving Apple devices behind.

Storage: 20 GB free / 500 GB Pro ($2.99/mo) / 5 TB Ultimate ($9.99/mo). Per file: 256 MB free, roughly 1 GB on lifetime deals, 50 GB on subscriptions — comfortably above iCloud's practical file sizes, and the 50 GB subscription cap exactly matches iCloud Drive's own maximum file size. Free-tier archives also face Degoo's 90-day inactivity deletion.

Yes — if you've used macOS's Desktop & Documents syncing, those appear as ordinary top-level folders in iCloud Drive, selectable like any other in the transfer setup. That pair of folders is usually the bulk of a Mac user's iCloud footprint.

Once files are verified in Degoo and deleted from iCloud (including Recently Deleted, which holds them 30 days), you can downgrade the iCloud+ tier from your device's storage settings. Many switchers keep the free 5 GB for device backups only — that's what it's sized for.

Conclusion

A folder or two leaves iCloud fine through icloud.com's download button. A real archive — the kind accumulated by years of Mac desktop syncing — deserves the server-side route: CloudsLinker signs in with your Apple ID (2FA code from a trusted device), reads iCloud Drive's web endpoints, and fills Degoo without your bandwidth in the path. Disable Advanced Data Protection for the duration if you've enabled it, keep expectations calibrated by Apple's throttling (plan for 50–200 GB/day), and verify in Degoo before emptying the iCloud side.

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