iCloud documents

Question

iCloud documents

"You also have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. If you keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive, they will be copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. "

Yes but it only has empty foldesr! Why can't it be like the photos, in that you have the option of keeping documents on your Mac. This wasn't obvious when I turned on Desktop & Document Folders in iCloud. Why is that Apple gets so much right but then slips at the last hurdle?

Mac mini (M2, 2023)

Posted on May 5, 2024 6:49 AM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 9

76,555 points

May 6, 2024 8:53 AM in response to Chavel1971

You each need to use your own Apple ID. The only way it is possible to have iCloud documents on someone else's device is by being logged into the same account.

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Answer 2

muguy

Level 9

76,555 points

May 5, 2024 10:03 AM in response to Michael Hambly

It works exactly like photos. If you sync desktop and documents, your files remain on your Mac and are synced to iCloud. If you elect to optimize your files, then some files may be offloaded should space be needed on your Mac.

The iCloud Drive (archive) folder comes into play only if you synced desktop and documents and subsequently turn it off or if you sign out of iCloud.

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Answer 3

May 6, 2024 7:44 AM in response to muguy

Thanks but I'm totally confused and want to start again with a backup of my documents folder. All I want to do is use iCloud to backup my Documents folder and leave what's on my Mac untouched.

At the moment on my Mac I have a Documents folder which appears to be on iCloud, not my Mac. In this there are also two folders from two attempts to use iCloud:

Documents - MICHAEL’s Mac mini

Documents - MICHAEL’s Mac mini - 1

I'm trying to delete all of these to copy my backup but I can't because of "The operation can’t be completed because one or more required items can’t be found.

(Error code -43)"

Help to point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

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Answer 4

muguy

Level 9

76,555 points

May 6, 2024 8:31 AM in response to Michael Hambly

iCloud is not a backup, just a synchronization service. Backups allow for recover should you delete or modify a file, that won't happen with iCloud.

When desktop and documents is enabled, the folders appear under iCloud in your finder menu. The actual folders still remain on your Mac. If your files cannot be found, they cannot be deleted. You could try deleting at iCloud.com or restart your Mac first. The folders you reference appear to be folders created before turning off desktop and documents.

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Answer 5

May 6, 2024 9:07 AM in response to muguy

Thanks but, if possible I'm now a little more confused.

Firstly:

"It works exactly like photos. If you sync desktop and documents, your files remain on your Mac and are synced to iCloud."

and now:

"iCloud is not a backup, just a synchronization service."

With Photos, the photos are uploaded and the originals can remain on my computer. I just want the same for documents so can I do that and if so, how?

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Answer 6

muguy

Level 9

76,555 points

May 6, 2024 9:15 AM in response to Michael Hambly

Correct. There is no difference. iCloud is a synchronization service, not a backup. Photos and documents work in the same way. All content remains on your computer and is synced to iCloud and then to all of your other devices using iCloud. If you elect to optimize storage, some items may be offloaded to iCloud only and photos will keep lower-resolution images on device with originals in iCloud.

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Answer 7

May 7, 2024 10:38 AM in response to muguy

Thanks for your help and I now accept what you have said. In case you work for Apple or have buddies who do, you might be interested to know why I had such a problem getting my head around the process:

1. In the support page "Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive" it says:

"When you add your Desktop and Documents to iCloud Drive, all of your files will move to iCloud"

Move, to me suggests that they don't remain in my Documents folder. I now see that in fact the files are copied to iCloud and originals left where they are.

2. When I select the Documents folder on my Mac and check it's path it shows:

Documents

iCloud Drive

I now realise that this is actually the documents folder on my Mac which is the same as the documents folder on iCloud unless changes are updating. I think this is confusing but can't suggest an alternative.

3. In the Settings for Photos, there is an option "Download Originals to this Mac" but I couldn't find any such option for Documents, but perhaps I missed it.

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Answer 8

May 6, 2024 8:41 AM in response to Michael Hambly

My iCloud goes to my grandson’s phone how can I stop that?

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