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How Do I Move a Folder From iCloud To My Desktop In Sierra?

I have a IMac 12,1 21.5″ mid 2011 just upgraded to Sierra. I have been collecting files from web, putting into a Temp folder and distributing re-titled files into four other folders. When upgraded, everything on Desktop was put into iCloud. I cannot move any files in those folders onto my Desktop to move into another folder now. I went into iCloud to see if I could move a folder to desktop by found no way. I cannot take any files out of the temp Folder (in desktop iCloud) to put it on my Desktop. The flexibility of the past has disappeared. Everything file change takes many minutes to change and not able to move files out of Temp is frustrating. Is there any way to not have folders that are now on Desktop icloud and put them only on my hard drive desktop. I tried a second temp folder I created on my desktop and it still went into the cloud. Luckily I was able to move the files out before iCloud grabbed them and moved them to other folders. What happened to flexibility?
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Anthony Marshall

Comments: 3 Responses to “How Do I Move a Folder From iCloud To My Desktop In Sierra?”

    7 years ago

    When you upgraded to Sierra, you were given the option to move your Desktop and Documents folders to iCloud. Sounds like you selected that option.
    If things are working correctly, then your iCloud Drive>Desktop folder now IS your Desktop. The desktop on your Mac and this iCloud Drive folder named Desktop are now one and the same. You can but a file on your desktop or in this folder and you will see it in both places -- because they are the same place. You just have two different ways of viewing them. This is no different than before, except that the Desktop folder was in "User Folder">Desktop instead of iCloud Drive>Desktop.
    There is no change in flexibility. You have moved your Desktop folder, but it is still your Desktop folder. The only real change is that you can now access it on your iOS devices and it will sync across all of your Macs.
    However, I don't know what you mean by "I cannot move any files in those folders onto my Desktop" -- what happens then? Is there an error message? Something else?
    It is possible that after you selected the option to put your Desktop and Documents folders on iCloud Drive that you then turned this off manually, or tried to mess with the files before the change was complete, thus creating some problems. If you think this is the case, then a visit to the Genius Bar should clear things up.

    Anthony Marshall
    7 years ago

    Thank you Gary for answering promptly. I understand what you are saying, but don't like the two minute delay that it takes for a file to be moved from my Temp file onto the desktop or about the same time for the file title/name to be changed. I guess I have to live with it. The days of quickly working through files have gone.

    7 years ago

    Anthony: I don't experience any delay with these things. Should happen instantly. I suppose if I used the "Optimize Mac Storage" option and it was a huge file that was not stored on my drive, that it would delay a copy. But I don't think that is what you are experiencing. Using iCloud Drive files should be as fast as before.

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