Handle unavailable iCloud access and account changes
Applies to all four document types with iCloud enabled. Whether a note opens depends on the current account, iCloud Drive availability, and whether its complete contents are already on the device.
If Unable to Access iCloud appears
- Read the library’s Unable to Access iCloud message. It means the device cannot currently access the enabled cloud library; it does not mean the cloud documents have been deleted.
- Tap Open Settings and check your Apple Account sign-in, iCloud Drive, and permission for Prodrafts to use iCloud.
- Make sure you are using the original iCloud account that holds these notes. Restore access if a temporary network or system service issue is responsible.
- Return to Prodrafts and wait for it to check again. Open Settings → iCloud & Backup and use Sync Now when available.
- Open important notes individually and check their contents and attachments before continuing to edit.
Some library actions may be temporarily unavailable. A thumbnail you saw earlier does not prove the full document is stored locally. Items with only a name or thumbnail may still need downloading.
Before signing out or switching accounts
Stop editing the same document on several devices and let your current input save. Use Export Backup, save the resulting files somewhere you can access, and check for failed items or missing documents. Opening the share sheet alone does not complete the save.
After an account change, Prodrafts checks cloud ownership and status again. If sync is paused because it cannot confirm that the documents belong to the current account, follow the prompt to sign in to the original iCloud account and retry. Do not repeatedly switch accounts or clear the list to “refresh” it.
If Prodrafts reports that the iCloud document library has been removed, preserve the existing local data and error details before checking backup or recovery options. A visible local list does not prove every file is complete.
A file remains waiting to download
Check the network, account availability, and free storage. In the Files app, check whether the cloud document has finished downloading, then try opening it again in Prodrafts. For “Not downloaded yet” during recovery, see Recover documents missing from the list.
If you decide to stop syncing, read Turn off sync and keep local data. In particular, keeping local files does not automatically download every cloud placeholder. For persistent access problems, get help with the exact status and time of the issue.
This article is current as of October 12, 2026; menus may vary across devices and versions.