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How do I organize my documents folder?

I want to click on "Documents" in the finder and find all my documents there but instead I have to search there and in multiple folders on iCloud. How do I get all my documents in one place so that I know where to find them and where to put them?

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Oct 12, 2022 6:57 AM

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Posted on Oct 12, 2022 7:50 AM

Organize it however you want.

If you want to be able to access all of your Documents immediately and be able to search them, they have to be located on your Mac. If that's what you want, move them all into your Documents folder in any way you wish.


If you enabled Optimize Storage with Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive, then unused documents will be moved to iCloud Drive and placeholders set in your Documents and Desktop folders. You can't search those.

If you want to synchronize the documents with all devices via iCloud, disable Optimize Storage.

2 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Oct 12, 2022 7:50 AM in response to j.esler

Organize it however you want.

If you want to be able to access all of your Documents immediately and be able to search them, they have to be located on your Mac. If that's what you want, move them all into your Documents folder in any way you wish.


If you enabled Optimize Storage with Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive, then unused documents will be moved to iCloud Drive and placeholders set in your Documents and Desktop folders. You can't search those.

If you want to synchronize the documents with all devices via iCloud, disable Optimize Storage.

How do I organize my documents folder?

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