iCloud Drive Shared Folders in macOS Monterey

iCloud Drive includes a feature for sharing content with others since macOS Big Sur and iOS/iPadOS 14, which is very handy and great for collaborating on projects from Merlin Project. In macOS Monterey, sharing via iCloud Drive has gotten even better.

Shared Files in iCloud Drive

In Monterey, Apple has re-designed the iCloud Drive Finder view.
In the sidebar of any Finder window, under the iCloud menu item there is still the iCloud Drive entry.

In it, you'll find many folders of different apps and you can insert your own folders or files to access them conveniently from other private devices. Folders and files from the iCloud Drive can also be shared and used among other users. In this case, they will will be marked accordingly graphically and with a text.

Small Innovation with Big Effect

The Shared folder is seemingly a small change, but this change has a big impact on working with shared content in iCloud Drive.

It's clearest in the list view. All shared content is logically divided according to my own shares and those from others available to me.

The advantage is obvious. Instead of looking for shares in the various folders in iCloud Drive, you can find them all neatly lined up under the Shared item.

This is especially helpful when working with multiple projects that you might not want to share after a while, or want to locate the place where the project file was saved again in iCloud Drive.

By the way, this Shared folder can also be found on iOS/iPadOS in the Files.app. Very handy when using Merlin Project on the iPad.