ICloud Drive desktop folder is still empty after 12 hours, not syncing with iCloud desktop folder online

Thise articles don’t address my problem , but I have found a solution. I went into system preferences and chose iCloud, then I unchecked the Icloud option called Desktop & Documents, I chose not to save anything on my Mac. This deleted the empty iCloud desktop and iCloud documents folder as well as the mobile documents folder in ~/Library/ Then I unchecked the iCloud Drive option and chose not to save anything on my Mac. Then I signed out of iCloud completely choosing not to keep anything on my Mac including contacts, reminders, etc. Then I opened finder and chose iCloud. A window opened with an explanation as to what iCloud was and to click if I wanted to learn more. I clicked to learn more and a section opened up asking for my Apple ID and password. As soon as it signed in a window opened in finder with iCloud in the pane on the left and my online iCloud files to the right. The files and folders began to download. I went into system preferences and selected iCloud and that is where I selected contacts, reminders, etc again. I did not have to select iCloud Drive as it was automatically selected when I signed in. However, in iCloud options I did NOT select the option desktop and documents this time. In finder, then iCloud on left panel after iCloud files were done downloading I right clicked the iCloud desktop folder and selected “add to dock”. Then once it was added to the dock, I left clicked it to open and the iCloud desktop replaced my Mac desktop as the default desktop. It appears that if you select iCloud option “Desktop & Documents” before iCloud has downloaded your online iCloud files then Mac creates an empty Documents folder and an empty Desktop folder under iCloud on your Mac. This allows anything you create on your Mac to auto upload to iCloud but prevents you from seeing what is in your online iCloud through finder. There’s probably another place on your Mac somewhere that you can view your online iCloud files if this happens, but I was not able to find it. I hope this makes sense… I hope this helps somebody who has the same problem… Thank you for trying to help. And good luck to anybody else who has this problem as this is no guarantee that it will actually work on your Mac.

Where do I find these items stored only on iCloud Drive in order to download them onto my Mac? That’s what I’m talking about the iCloud desktop folder is completely totally empty… There is nothing to right click and download. When I go online with my Safari browser my iCloud Drive has all the folders that I want but I cannot right click a folder… I can look at it I can print it I can access it but I can’t transfer it or copy it to my Mac

I used to use the iCloud desktop as my desktop on the Mac before changing the hard drive. I don’t want to “drag” documents anywhere. I want to work on them from Mac while they are on iCloud Drive desktop. If looking at then online through safari I can not drag or download folders.. only individual documents and I have loads of folders with loads of documents online in my iCloud Drive. I know I can work on them online through safari but before I changed the hard drive I was able to see, and edit and create and work on them right on my Mac by finding them in the “desktop” folder listed under iCloud on my Mac. Now that folder is empty. I will read the articles you posted and see if those solutions work and get back to you.