macOS and iCloud Drive · Research guidance. Instructions are based on publisher guidance; a UK IPTV account was not tested on this platform.
Identify the cloud-backed item
In Finder, confirm that the intended file is in iCloud Drive and check its status. Apple notes that some items can be stored in iCloud without being downloaded to the Mac. A file can therefore appear in a folder before its complete content is available to a local application without internet access.
Download the item first
Apple documents Control-clicking an item stored only in iCloud and choosing Download Now. Wait for the actual download and open the file using the intended application. A successful folder search is not the same as successfully reading the file, especially when preparing a help document or another legitimate resource for use away from a connection.
Choose retention when required
Apple’s Keep Downloaded control is intended to keep selected files or folders on the Mac even when Optimize Mac Storage would otherwise store older documents in iCloud to recover space. Use that choice for a specific need, recognising that local retention consumes storage. Avoid marking an entire large library when only one small document is needed.
Distinguish removal from deletion
Apple separately documents Remove Download to remove the Mac’s downloaded copy. Do not substitute a delete action when the goal is only local space. Before a journey or disconnected task, verify the intended file and application while still able to correct the setup. A downloaded document does not make its external website links or a streaming account available offline.
Questions, answered
What does Keep Downloaded address?
Keeping selected iCloud Drive content locally available on the Mac.
Does downloading a document make all its links work offline?
No. External online resources remain separate.