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Move documents & desktop folders from iCloud back to my Mac without deleting them.

I optimized thinking it was just a back up. All files went whoosh up to iCloud & off my Mac. I have opened each file on my Mac so they are on my Mac now.

How do I keep them on my Mac & get them out of iCloud storage (which is almost full).


Mac Pro

Posted on Aug 6, 2019 11:58 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 6, 2019 12:41 PM

See the following from Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Turn off Desktop and Documents


When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.


  1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu  > System Preferences > iCloud.
  2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  4. Click Done.


If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.



1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 6, 2019 12:41 PM in response to CoraYvette

See the following from Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Turn off Desktop and Documents


When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.


  1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu  > System Preferences > iCloud.
  2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  4. Click Done.


If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.



Move documents & desktop folders from iCloud back to my Mac without deleting them.

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