Where apps hide your files

Why Freeform boards are not files

Updated 2026-10-28 · 5 min read

There is no Freeform document to find: boards sync through iCloud, and the Mac keeps its copy in a private database inside the app's container. Here is where that sits, and the export that gives you a real file.

Where Freeform keeps boards

Freeform boards are not separate files. They belong to your iCloud account and are mirrored into a database inside the app's sandbox container. On macOS Sequoia (checked on 15.6) the local store is this folder:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.freeform/Data/Library/Freeform/Boards/

It holds a boards.db database (with its -shm and -wal companions) and two folders, Assets and DeletedAssets, whose names suggest images and other media placed on boards. A companion group container also exists:

~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.freeform/

Apple does not document any of these files, and boards.db is not something you can open or import into Freeform. Treat the folder as the app's private workspace. The way to get a board you can keep, send or print is to export it.

Open the folder

In Finder choose Go > Go to Folder (⇧⌘G) and paste the path, or list names in Terminal:

ls ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.freeform/Data/Library/Freeform/Boards
ls ~/Library/Group\ Containers | grep -i freeform

Both commands only list names. The container also has the usual sandbox skeleton (Documents, tmp, links to your Desktop and Downloads) and a CloudKit folder for sync bookkeeping. On the Mac checked, the whole container was about 432 KB.

Why there is nothing to drag out

Freeform is built around iCloud. Boards sync through CloudKit, Apple's database service for apps, and the local database is a working copy in a format that is not meant to be browsed. Which parts are stored locally, and how, is Apple's internal choice and can change between releases.

What this means for you: with iCloud switched on for Freeform, a board you see in the app lives in iCloud first, and a new Mac downloads it. With iCloud off for Freeform, the boards exist only in that local database, so deleting or damaging it loses them.

Freeform does not show up as a folder in iCloud Drive in Finder either, so there is no file there to copy.

Get a board out the supported way

Apple's Freeform guide documents the export, with the board open:

1. In the sidebar, click a category, then select the board.
2. Choose File > Export Board as PDF.
3. Pick a name and location, and click Export.

For a picture instead of a PDF, open the PDF in Preview and choose File > Export, then pick PNG or JPEG. Apple's guide also suggests a screenshot of the board as a quick alternative. File > Print Board sends it to a printer or, through the print dialog, to another PDF.

For a single image or file, it is often quicker to drag it off the canvas onto the Desktop. A PDF is a snapshot that cannot be edited in Freeform, so keep the board itself as your working copy.

Backing up and moving to a new Mac

Because boards belong to your Apple Account, a new Mac with Freeform turned on for iCloud gets them without any file copying. Check that switch before you wipe the old Mac:

• macOS Sequoia and later: System Settings > your name > iCloud, then See All next to Saved to iCloud, and turn on Freeform.
• macOS Sonoma and earlier: System Settings > your name > iCloud, then Show All under Apps Using iCloud.

Time Machine backs up the container, but restoring a container by hand is not a reliable way to bring boards back, because the iCloud copy is the one Freeform trusts. For a copy you control regardless of iCloud, export important boards as PDFs and keep them in a folder you back up.

Space and deleted boards

Freeform's local footprint is usually small, and boards with many large photos or videos count against your iCloud storage instead. To free space, delete the board inside Freeform. Apple's guide says a deleted board goes to Recently Deleted for 30 days, where you can recover it, before it is removed for good.

Never delete files from the container to "reset" Freeform, especially with iCloud sync off for the app, and quit Freeform before you even look inside.

Shared boards

A board you share is stored in iCloud under the owner's account. If someone shares a board with you and later stops sharing or deletes it, you can lose access, so export a PDF of anything you need to keep. An export captures the board as it is at that moment.

Search and the next time

Spotlight and Finder searches leave out ~/Library, so searching for "freeform" in Finder will not show these folders. Freeform's containers are closed to other apps until you grant Full Disk Access; once Everywhere has it, typing boards.db goes straight to the local store, and if you name exports after the board, typing that name finds the PDF on any drive. It matches file names, not what is drawn on a board.

Common questions

Where does Freeform save boards on a Mac?

In your iCloud account, with a local copy in a database at ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.freeform/Data/Library/Freeform/Boards. There is no per-board file to open.

How do I export a Freeform board?

Open the board and choose File > Export Board as PDF, then click Export. For an image, open the PDF in Preview and export it as PNG or JPEG.

Are Freeform boards in iCloud Drive?

No, they do not appear as files in iCloud Drive. They sync through iCloud inside the Freeform app itself.

Will I lose my boards if I get a new Mac?

Not if Freeform is turned on for iCloud in System Settings and you sign in with the same Apple Account. Deleted boards stay in Recently Deleted for 30 days.