How do I get rid of my files on my Desktop?

Downloaded newest Operating System only to discover files & folders on my Desktop. I don't want them there, however some in trash disappear off my Cloud. How/where can I put these files off my Desktop?

Are all of them already somewhere in my Cloud? Are some shortcuts to my Cloud? What is the relationship twixt Cloud and the new found files on my desktop? Can Stacks help in getting rid of them?

Posted on Aug 9, 2019 10:47 AM

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7 replies

Aug 11, 2019 8:02 AM in response to LenInSebastopol

The Sidebar is not a storage area. Everything in it is just an alias that points to something stored elsewhere.


When you clicked on iCloud Drive, it showed you what is in iCloud Drive which included your Desktop folder.

The Desktop alias in the SideBar points to the Desktop folder which is stored in iCloud Drive.


You can move the files out of your Desktop to anywhere you want to store them.


The Screen Capture app will store the screen shots on the Desktop by default. You can change that location in the Options when you use cmd-shift-5 to take a screen shot.


Also, in Finder Preferences, you need to deselect all of the checkboxes on the General tab for things to show on the Desktop.



Aug 10, 2019 7:00 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thank you for your answer but my Home folder in my Sidebar has none of those elements. My Desktop is not in my Home folder.

Some of those files (on my Desktop) have a small cloud-icon-arrow. Those are in The Cloud. When I put such a file in the Trash, it disappears from my Cloud! No bueno! So now the question remains the same with an additional problem! A tad frustrating.

Again, thanks for the response.

Aug 11, 2019 5:45 AM in response to LenInSebastopol

Luis, thank you for the response.

However, am more confused, as my Sidebar does have under ICloud Drive a 3 folders, one called iCloud Drive, beneath that is one called Desktop, followed by one called Documents.

Within the folder called iCloud Drive there's a folder called Desktop.

In the Sidebar that has Desktop folder are files, one of which is named Desktop!


In the end, what I am trying to do is to keep my "real" desktop clean, no folders, files etc.

How do I "deactivate" those items on my Desktop, yet keep all the data elsewhere?

Hope the issue is not as complicated as I am confused.

And thanks,

=

Aug 10, 2019 1:41 AM in response to LenInSebastopol

The desktop is just a folder.

It is called Desktop and lives inside your home folder.

Open a Finder window and click the home icon in the Sidebar.

There you’ll that there are folders inside the home folder:

Desktop

Documents

Pictures

and so on.

Files that show up visually on the desktop are precisely those in the Desktop folder.

If you want to you can save files there, but you can save them in many other places.


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How do I get rid of my files on my Desktop?

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