What Happens When You Turn Off Desktop & Documents Folders for iCloud Drive?

If you decide you want to turn off this useful feature, you'll find yourself looking at a very scary warning before moving forward. Find out exactly what happens when you do it.

Comments: 19 Responses to “What Happens When You Turn Off Desktop & Documents Folders for iCloud Drive?”

    Scott Hagarty
    1 year ago

    Hi Gary:
    If I have an iMac & MacBook and I turn on the features in iCloud, does it pull the desktop & documents from each mac? Would I then have the files from each one merged on iCloud?

    Darren
    1 year ago

    I also have an iMac & MacBook with the iCloud Desktop & Documents feature turned on. Why do files show up on the MacBook's Desktop but not the iMac's Desktop?

    1 year ago

    Scott: Can't remember. It either merges or for the second Mac you enable, it puts them in a separate folder for you to figure out.

    1 year ago

    Darren: They should. Check your settings again.

    Michael F Hayes
    1 year ago

    what's the best way to handle this when you only have intermittent internet (e.g., on a cruise ship, without satellite internet, and only cellular data hotspot access when in port?

    1 year ago

    Michael: Nothing special you need to do. Just use your files as normal. Chances are any file you want will be available to you. But if one is not because you have "Optimize" turned on, then it will tell you and you can get access to it when you have a connection.

    Jim Noyes
    1 year ago

    How does "optimizing" (or not) come into play when iCloud is either on or off?

    1 year ago

    Jim: Not sure what you mean. The “optimize” option only applies when iCloud is on.

    Jeff Price
    12 months ago

    I too share Micheals concerns. I wish there was an option that would keep all Document files and Desktop files on both places so when my internet goes down I can still work on my projects. Maybe I will have to put those important files in a folder in the HOME folder if I can remember to do that. Love your presentations.....you're a pro!

    12 months ago

    Jeff: There is. Simply have Optimize turned OFF. That is exactly what turning it off does. The only downside is if you have too small of a local drive to keep all of your files. But if this is a concern, then you should have a large enough drive so you can do this.

    Cameron Morgan
    11 months ago

    I followed your steps but when I turned it off my icloud drive was empty. When I turned it back on everything was back but needed to be downloaded again if it was in a folder on my desktop before moving into icluoud drive. How can I still see my folders in icloud drive AND my local ones?

    11 months ago

    Cameron: which folders specifically? You always see your local ones. Maybe you aren’t looking in the right place or understanding the difference between iCloud Drive and local?

    Cameron Morgan
    11 months ago

    I do see my local ones but once I turn off the desktop&documents my icloud drive goes empty and I can't seem to find anything that was on my local desktop anywhere in icloud. It is close to 100gb so maybe it takes time to populate in icloud drive? Once I turn it back on everything comes back to my local desktop but needs to be downloaded again. Thanks for helping.

    11 months ago

    Cameron: You'll need to be more specific as we aren't communicating. Identify exactly paths, etc. Where exactly are you looking? If you turn off iCloud Drive D&D you'll see what was in those folders only if you look in iCloud Drive. You won't see them in your Home folder where a different D&D set are then located. Maybe watch the video again carefully as I explain exactly this.

    Cameron Morgan
    11 months ago

    Before I do anything, I have the same set up as the beginning of your video. I see the special D&D folders in my icloud drive and the local ones in my home folder. Once I turn off D&D I should now expect to see regular D&D folders in icloud and the special ones in my home folder. The issue is my icloud drive becomes empty when I turn off D&D and I don't know why. Hope this helps

    11 months ago

    Cameron: No, sorry, I'm still not understanding what you are experiencing. I suggest you call Apple Support and figure out what is going on as it doesn't make any sense, at least not in the comments you made.

    Cameron Morgan
    11 months ago

    Just tried it a third time and it worked! Honestly no idea what was happening but I got it now.

    Rohit
    4 months ago

    If I have two Mac's and I have iCloud Drive Desktop/Docs turned on on both how does each Mac know what desktop to pick from the iCloud Drive, Any screen dumps of the iCloud Drive with this setup? Thanks in advance?

    4 months ago

    Rohit: Not sure what you mean. You now have only ONE Desktop folder and you see that same ONE folder on both Macs.

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