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PeterR Author

Level 1

105 points

How to safely undue "Optimize Storage" in iCloud or iDrive on MacBook running OS Catalina

Hello:

I am very very sorry that rather when my MacBook HD started getting full, I set up iCloud and Optimize Storage with "Desktop and Documents" and Photos, rather than going through my HD and deleting unneeded large files to free up space.

Now I am stuck with not being able to quickly open most files on my computer, or send attachments without long waits, or see many of my photos and albums in Photos, etc., and am totally dependent on having a super good internet connection for my MacBook to work well.

I also don't know if Time Machine and Backblaze are able to make complete backups with Optimize Storage turned on.

I have now cleaned up my HD and freed up more than 80 GB of space, and want to undo all of that.

But I am afraid to do it, because I no longer know what is on my HD, what is in only iCloud or iDrive (nor do I know what the difference is between them), or only on my HD, or what is on both or on all three. When I try to start undoing this by, for example, going into iCloud Drive preferences and unclicking "Desktop & Documents Folders," I get this VERY FRIGHTENING warning:

"If you continue, items will be removed from the Desktop and the Documents 
folder on this Mac and will remain available in iCloud Drive."

That is the opposite of what I want, which to get everything back on the Desktop and Documents Folder on my own HD!

Can someone please guide me to a protocol for undoing storage optimization and safely getting all of my file back onto my HD?

This is all very frustrating. And scary in terms of the risk of losing unbacked up documents, photos, etc.

Thank you,

Peter

MacBook, macOS 10.15

Posted on Aug 23, 2020 11:00 AM

Top-ranking reply

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,167 points

Posted on Aug 23, 2020 11:37 AM

You can use an internet browser (e.g., Safari) and drag files from iCloud Drive at iCloud .com to your Mac. See the following from Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

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, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud. On macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

Note the following applies if you completely turn off iCloud Drive rather than just turning off the Desktop and Documents option (from the same link as above)

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.

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How to safely undue "Optimize Storage" in iCloud or iDrive on MacBook running OS Catalina

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