Aliyun Drive Guide: Sign Up, Download, Share Files

Looking for a fast cloud drive? Aliyun Drive might be your answer.

But here's the question: How do international users register? Do you need a Chinese phone number?

This tutorial will guide you step by step through registration, from download to advanced features.

What is Aliyun Drive?

Aliyun Drive is a personal cloud storage service launched by Alibaba.

Think of it as the Chinese version of Google Drive or Dropbox.

Three Key Features of Aliyun Drive

1. Officially Marketed as Fast

The official site and app description emphasize fast uploads and downloads; actual speed still depends on your network.

2. Free Capacity Perks

The official site only says you can claim free capacity and other perks by downloading the mobile app; check the app for your actual quota.

Storage quotas, membership perks, and promotion rules change over time. Check the Aliyun Drive official site for current figures.

3. Online Video Playback

Supports most video formats for direct online viewing without downloading.

With subtitle files, it can automatically load subtitles too.

Aliyun Drive vs Alibaba Cloud: Completely Different Things

Many people confuse these two.

Simply put: Aliyun Drive is for storing personal files; Alibaba Cloud is for hosting websites and running programs.

To learn about enterprise services, see Alibaba Cloud Complete Guide: From Beginner to Advanced, Essential Reading for International Users [2026]. If you're interested in enterprise-grade object storage, also check out Alibaba Cloud OSS Complete Tutorial.

Aliyun Drive Limitations

Let's talk about the downsides first, so you don't set expectations too high:

• Main market is China: Some features unavailable to overseas users
• Membership unlocks all features: Like large file uploads, extended recycle bin retention
• Privacy concerns: Servers are in China—think twice about sensitive data

---

How International Users Can Register for Aliyun Drive

Good news: International phone numbers can register directly.

No Chinese phone number needed, no VPN required.

Method 1: Mobile App Registration

Registering in the app is the most straightforward flow, but you first need the app: iOS is currently listed only in the China App Store and it can't be found on Google Play in Taiwan (Android users can download the APK from the official site; see the per-platform notes below). If you can't get the app, use Method 2 in a web browser.

Step 1: Download the App

• iOS: the app is currently listed only on the China mainland App Store (it doesn't appear in the Taiwan, Hong Kong, or US storefronts)
• Android: Aliyun Drive currently can't be found on Google Play in Taiwan, so use the Android download offered on the official site alipan.com (we'll cover that later).

Step 2: Open the App and Click "Register"

When you first open it, you'll see a login screen. Click "Register" or "Sign Up" at the bottom.

Step 3: Choose Phone Number Registration

• Select your country code (e.g., +1 for US, +44 for UK)
• Enter your phone number
• For example: (555) 123-4567 → Enter 5551234567

Step 4: Receive Verification Code

Aliyun Drive will send an SMS verification code to your phone.

Enter the 6-digit code.

Step 5: Set Password

Set a password and complete registration.

Congratulations! You now have an Aliyun Drive account.

Method 2: Web Registration

If you don't want to install the app first, you can register on computer.

Step 1: Go to Official Website

Open your browser and enter alipan.com.

Step 2: Click "Login/Register"

There's a login button in the top right corner. Click it and select "Register".

Step 3: Complete Phone Verification

The process is the same as the app—select your country code, enter phone number, receive verification code.

Common Registration Issues

Q: Can't receive verification code?

Possible reasons:

• Phone number entered incorrectly
• SMS was blocked (check spam messages)
• That number is already registered

Q: Shows "This region is not supported"?

Try registering via the app, or use a VPN to connect to another region and try again. If you need to use Alibaba Cloud's other services, we recommend registering through Alibaba Cloud International, which is better suited for overseas users.

Q: Is real-name verification required?

Not for basic features.

But for advanced features (like large file sharing), real-name verification may be required, which needs a Chinese ID.

---

Having trouble registering? Contact us for free help.

---

Aliyun Drive Download and Installation

Aliyun Drive provides clients for multiple platforms.

Windows / Mac Desktop

Download location:

Go to the official website alipan.com and click "Download Client".

Select your operating system version to download.

Available installers: the official site offers Windows and Mac (Apple silicon / Intel) installers.

Installation steps:

1. Download the installer
2. Double-click to run
3. Follow the instructions to complete installation
4. Open and scan QR code or enter account credentials to login

iOS Version

The iOS app is currently listed only on the China mainland App Store; it doesn't show up in the Taiwan, Hong Kong, or US storefronts.

Requires iOS 13.0 or above.

Android Version

Aliyun Drive currently can't be found on Google Play in Taiwan, so follow the download options on the official website.

Download APK from Official Website

1. Open alipan.com in mobile browser
2. Click "Download"
3. Select "Android" to download APK
4. Allow installation from unknown sources
5. Installation complete

Aliyun Drive Account Sharing Tutorial

Aliyun Drive's sharing feature is very useful, but there are some details to note.

How to Get Share Links

Desktop version:

1. Select the file or folder to share
2. Right-click and select "Share"
3. Configure share options:
   • Expiration period (customizable)
   • Whether to require extraction code
4. Click "Create Link"
5. Copy the link and share with friends

Mobile version:

1. Long press on file
2. Tap the "Share" icon
3. Select share settings
4. Copy link

Share Link Limitations

Free users should note:

• Download count: Some files have download count limits
• File size: Very large files may require membership to share

How to Receive Others' Shares

1. Open the share link
2. Enter extraction code (if any)
3. Click "Save to Drive"
4. Select storage location
5. You can now see the files in your drive

What are Bonus Codes?

Aliyun Drive sometimes releases "bonus codes".

Entering bonus codes can get you:

• Extra storage space
• Member trial days
• Download acceleration vouchers

Where to find bonus codes?

• Aliyun Drive official Weibo
• Various forums (Reddit, tech communities)
• Partner promotions

How to redeem?

In app: Settings → Benefits → Enter bonus code

---

Aliyun Drive Advanced Features

If you just need to store files and share links, the above content is enough.

But Aliyun Drive has some advanced tricks.

WebDAV Setup

WebDAV is a network file protocol.

Once configured, Aliyun Drive can be mounted to your computer like a local drive.

Why use WebDAV?

• Access cloud files directly in File Explorer
• No need to open the app to operate
• Can work with other software

Setup steps (Windows):

1. Open "This PC"
2. Right-click on blank space and select "Add a network location"
3. Enter WebDAV address (requires third-party service)
4. Enter account credentials
5. Done

Note: This article demonstrates WebDAV mounting with third-party tools (like AList, CloudDrive).

Using with Infuse for Video Playback

Infuse is a popular video player on iOS/Mac/Apple TV.

Infuse's official list of cloud services now includes Aliyun Drive, so you can connect and stream directly without setting up WebDAV first. Note that cloud streaming is an Infuse Pro (paid) feature; the free version can't connect directly.

Setup process:

1. In Infuse, add a new source and choose "Aliyun Drive" from the cloud services list
2. Sign in to your Aliyun Drive account to browse and stream

If you already expose Aliyun Drive as WebDAV through AList or CloudDrive, you can instead choose the WebDAV protocol and enter the address and credentials.

Advantages:

• Watch without downloading
• Supports automatic subtitle matching
• Supports 4K HDR

Third-Party Tool Usage Warnings

Be careful when using third-party tools:

• Account security risk: Need to authorize third parties
• May violate terms of service: Aliyun Drive may block you
• Stability issues: Third-party services can go down anytime

Recommendation: Don't store important files only on Aliyun Drive—keep backups.

Usage growing? Aliyun Drive is suitable for personal use, but enterprise needs should consider object storage services. Want to learn about Alibaba Cloud OSS, S3, and other enterprise solutions? Schedule a free consultation.

If you need streaming video services with CDN acceleration, see Alibaba Cloud CDN and DNS Tutorial.

---

FAQ

Q1: Can international users use Aliyun Drive?

Yes. International phone numbers can register directly, and most features work normally.

Q2: How much free space does Aliyun Drive offer?

The official site only says you can claim free capacity and other perks through the mobile app; check the app for your actual quota.

Q3: Is Aliyun Drive download speed fast?

The service is officially marketed as fast; actual speed depends on your network and server conditions.

Q4: Is Aliyun Drive safe?

Aliyun Drive servers are in China. If you store sensitive data, consider the privacy risks.

Recommendations:

• Don't store sensitive personal data
• Encrypt important files before uploading
• Keep multiple backups

Q5: Is Aliyun Drive membership worth buying?

Depends on your use case:

Worth buying if:

• Frequently share large files
• Want more storage space
• Use advanced features (like extended recycle bin)

Don't need if:

• Just storing personal files
• Occasionally share small files
• Free space is enough

Q6: Aliyun Drive vs Baidu Netdisk—which to choose?

Conclusion: each has trade-offs—choose Baidu Netdisk for richer resources, and otherwise decide based on the speed and storage you actually get in testing.

Enterprises Need More Professional Cloud Storage?

Aliyun Drive is suitable for personal file backup and sharing.

But if your needs are:

• API access for bulk files: Need programs to automatically upload/download
• Fine-grained permission control: Different people have different access rights
• Cross-team collaboration and version control: Multiple people editing the same file
• Enterprise-grade SLA guarantee: 99.99% availability commitment

These needs—Aliyun Drive can't meet them.

You need enterprise-grade object storage services, such as:

• Alibaba Cloud OSS: Alibaba's enterprise storage solution
• AWS S3: The world's most popular object storage
• Google Cloud Storage: Integrates with Google ecosystem

Want to learn about enterprise storage solutions? Schedule a storage architecture consultation and let us plan the best solution for you.

How CloudInsight Can Help

• Storage solution comparison: OSS, S3, GCS pros and cons analysis
• Architecture design: Plan the best solution based on your use case
• Cost estimation: Estimate monthly storage costs, avoid overspending
• Migration assistance: Painless transition from current solutions

From a few GB to PB-scale storage, we have experience

👉 Schedule a free consultation to plan your enterprise storage solution

---

References

1. Aliyun Drive Official Website - https://www.alipan.com
2. Aliyun Drive Help Center - https://www.alipan.com/help
3. AList Open Source Project - https://github.com/AlistGo/alist
4. Infuse Official Website - https://firecore.com/infuse
5. WebDAV Protocol Explanation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebDAV