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I would like to see the data stored by a third-party iOS apps via iCloud. I tried to access the following filepath on my Mac:

~/Library/Mobile Documents/APP-IDENTIFIER/

However, under the app-specific directory there is no file but an empty directory named Documents. That said, there should be a file at other part, since the iCloud data must be stored and synced elsewhere.

So where is the iCloud data that the third-party apps use on iCloud stored, and how can I access it?

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  • What is the app?
    – IconDaemon
    Apr 2, 2019 at 16:49
  • @IconDaemon It’s a Japanese-French dictionary app released by Japanese company called Monikakido. They store my bookmark which I want to access in order to create a flash card on AnkiApp.
    – Blaszard
    Apr 2, 2019 at 17:11
  • Similar question was asked here, no real solution on where iCloud 3rd-party data is stored. I have a hunch it's encrypted/hidden/sandboxed and inaccessible to users.
    – Jason Weinzierl
    Apr 2, 2019 at 19:50

1 Answer 1

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The ~/Library/Mobile Documents/ folder only contains data that is stored in your iCloud Drive.

iCloud is an umbrella marketing name that also covers other services that are not implemented in the same manner as iCloud Drive. Apps that store data in iCloud directly often do so via iCloud CloudKit. iCloud CloudKit is a service provided by Apple that makes it easier for app developers to store and sync data. As the lower tiers are provided for free by Apple, it is a relatively popular service.

When apps store data in iCloud via CloudKit it is not generically accessible to the user. The app itself needs to provide an interface for accessing the data before you as the user can access the data.

If no such interface exists within the app, you have to contact the app developer to request such an interface.

If you're a citizen of the European Union, you might have luck sending the app developer a GDPR request for your data. That is often a one-time, manual process however.

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