How to deactivate iCloud Drive and not lose my data?

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How to deactivate iCloud Drive and not lose my data?

I recently migrated from Macbook Pro 2014 to a Macbook Pro M1. By mistake I activated iCloud Drive. I now have multiple versions of Desk Top and Documents in iCloud Drive, Archive 1, Archive 2 etc. but none of them are displaying all the sub folders. My access to the internet is inconsistent so persevering with iCloud Drive is not an option.

From System Preferences, when I uncheck iCloud Drive and choose Keep a Copy I'm warned that iCloud Drive needs to finish updating before being turned off. It's been updating for two days now and I'm only MB's into downloading 17GB!

Advice please on how to get out of iCloud Drive without losing my data.

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Jan 9, 2022 5:48 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

tygb

Level 9

64,588 points

Jan 9, 2022 9:17 PM in response to Out of Africa

As you mentioned -but there is also a Folder on the Desktop named Desktop -Macbook Pro .

If you turned off iCloud for Documents and Desktop, it created the Archive ICloud file on home drive . ICloud shows no documents on it.

It will prompt the items from this desktop and the documents folder are available in iCloud Drive , to remove items from iCloud Drive , move them to your desktop and documents folder on this Mac , click on show in finder .

Again open system preferences > iCloud > iCloud Drive > the box of desktops and documents box is unchecked , tap over As the box to get it rechecked , a circle rotates setting up the box gets checked .

You will notice a folder is created literally on the desktop , tap it a pop up window appears the items on this desktop on this Mac have been moved into a new folder called “ Desktops - Apples Mac book …( the name of Mac will be written in the existing desktop folder in iCloud Drive , you can combine the contents of these folders any time , click on show in finder .

Right click on the folder created on the Mac and move to trash , restart the Mac and empty the trash , but again the documents are placed in a right place in iCloud Drive as well in iCloud server .

https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/mac-help/mchlp1774/10.14/mac/10.14

By unchecking the box of desktops and documents - the files and documents created are invisible temporarily both in iCloud Drive and www.icloud.com but they are not deleted from the server and still occupying the space , you can check the box and use get info and delete the desired documents any where from iCloud Drive or iCloud.com and restart the Mac and empty the trash .

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Answer 2

tygb

Level 9

64,588 points

Jan 9, 2022 6:22 AM in response to Out of Africa

In new Mac initially iCloud Drive , desktops and documents box checked after setting up iCloud , then you followed .

( a ) if you had clicked on keep a copy , they will be archived in home folder that can be viewed by clicking on finder in the dock , take cursor on top menu bar > Go > Home > your user name > iCloud Drive ( Archive ) .

If you clicked on stop updating and turn off ( second part of screen shot ) , the documents will be arch hived .

Your documents are never lost , you can double click on empty iCloud Drive it will show setting up , and documents will again saved at iCloud.com , that can be viewed from finder > iCloud > iCloud Drive > documents

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Answer 3

Jan 9, 2022 8:18 AM in response to tygb

Thanks for the quick reply. Maybe because it’s Sunday the bandwidth is more accommodating. It’s now updated 9.6 GB out of the 17, so I think I’ll let it complete the exercise before I take any further steps. I’ll post again later.

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Answer 4

Jan 9, 2022 9:05 PM in response to tygb

I know how this problem started, but with so much clicking around I couldn't explain how I arrived where I am right now, so recording my experience won't be too helpful for others, but for the record : I don't recall I ever saw the warning box which included "Any documents not uploaded to iCloud Drive will be moved to a folder named "iCloud Drive (Archive)" in your home folder on this MAC. However, many GB's of apparent up loading and downloading, and in the Home Folder I have five iCloud Drive (Archive) folders: (Archive) 1, 2, 3 and 4. Archive is just Shortcuts. 1,2,3 & 4 contain different combinations of Folders including my Documents some which are populated with my named Folders, some which are not. No single one seems to be a complete and up to date version. Similarly there are multiple versions of Desktop. The documents appearing on my Desktop are as they would have been circa 2019, but there is also a Folder on the Desktop named Desktop -Macbook Pro which I believe is how it was before ONE CARELESS CLICK OF THE CONTINUE BUTTON. A great deal of duplication. I'm very pleased to have my Documents, even if multiple versions, and for the time being I won't be deleting anything. It will be something of a mission to get it back in order.

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How to deactivate iCloud Drive and not lose my data?

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