Sharing Desktop timelines via iCloud (iOS10 and below)

This article applies to iOS 10 and below. For iOS 11 and above, see here

Aeon Timeline lets you share your timelines between iPad and both Mac and Windows computers using iCloud Drive. Sharing timelines via Dropbox is only available on iOS 11.

iCloud support is a standard part of the Mac and iOS operating systems. In order to share timelines between iPad and Windows computers, you will need to separately install iCloud Drive on your Windows computer. You can find more information and download the installer here:

Download iCloud for Windows

Generally speaking, iCloud Drive appears to be a bit slower responding and update less frequently on Windows compared with Mac and iOS. If you are syncing timelines to windows computers, you may find you need to wait longer for updates to complete (this could be several minutes or longer).

Sharing an existing timeline from Desktop

If you have existing timelines on Desktop that you wish to access on the iPad, you will need to follow these steps:

Ensure all of your devices are logged into the same iCloud account.

Update to the latest version of Aeon Timeline on all devices to ensure there are no compatibility issues.

Specifically, you will need Aeon Timeline version 2.3 or above on Desktop in order to sync with your iPad version. This version uses a different file format with the extension .aeonzip

If you purchased directly via our website, you can either use the automatic update system, or download the latest version of Aeon Timeline from here: Aeon Timeline Download

If you purchased via the Mac App Store or Setapp, you will need to access the latest version from those locations instead.

Open your timeline file on the Desktop with the latest version of Aeon Timeline

If you are upgrading from version 2.2 or earlier, a prompt will tell you that your timeline is being updated to the latest version to support iOS.

See Changes in version 2.3 to support iPad

Save the timeline file to the Aeon Timeline folder on iCloud Drive.

On Mac:

Choose File -> Move
Select iCloud Drive from the popup menu, and then choose the Aeon Timeline folder within it.

On Windows:

Choose File -> Save As...
Navigate to the iCloud Drive / Aeon Timeline folder in the Save Dialog.

If the Aeon Timeline folder does not yet exist inside iCloud Drive, creating a brand new timeline on the iPad will create the folder automatically (if you have selected iCloud as your storage preference)

Wait until your Aeon Timeline file appears in iCloud Drive on your iPad. Depending on your network connection and the size of your timeline file, this may be very quick or take some time.

Open Aeon Timeline on your iPad.

If you are running Aeon Timeline for the first time, agree to the request to use iCloud to save files.

If you have previously used Aeon Timeline, make sure that it is set to use iCloud for storage. To do this, click on the cog icon in the top left of the document selection screen and make sure iCloud is the chosen Storage Location.

Your timeline file should appear in your documents list. Tap on the file to open it on your iPad.

If the file does not appear, check to ensure it is visible in the iCloud Drive device on that device.

Make some minor changes to your timeline on your iPad. You should see these changes reflected back to your Desktop version. This takes place automatically and periodically behind the scenes. You do not need to manually close or sync your timeline in order for the changes to be mirrored across your devices.

Creating a new timeline on iPad to share with Desktop

If you are working in reverse and want to create a new timeline on your iPad and have it automatically sync to your Desktop, the steps are quite similar.

Ensure all of your devices are logged into the same iCloud account.

Update to the latest version of Aeon Timeline on all devices to ensure there are no compatibility issues.

Specifically, you will need Aeon Timeline version 2.3 or above on Desktop in order to sync with your iPad version. This version uses a different file format with the extension .aeonzip

Open Aeon Timeline on your iPad.

If you are running Aeon Timeline for the first time, agree to the request to use iCloud to save files.

Tap 'Create New', and then select your preferred template to create a new timeline.

Tap on the timeline name and enter a better name than the default. The name you choose will become the file name on your Desktop computers

Add a few events to your timeline.

Wait until your Aeon Timeline file appears in iCloud Drive on your Desktop machine (either Mac or Windows). Depending on your network connection and the size of your timeline file, this may be very quick or take some time.

Once your timeline file appears, open it in the latest version of Aeon Timeline. Make some minor changes, and wait for them to be synced back to the iPad.

Continue to make changes on either device