[iMac 2017] Downloading from iCloud stuck

Aloha y'all...


I am trying to download files from iCloud (storage) and the download process is stuck.


For context, I have two network pipes and they are working just fine. The *problem* is that somewhere along the way, I selected the wrong folders to download, so instead of downloading a select number of subfolders with polite sizes- my iMac is trying to download some 670 GB from iCloud and it's been stuck at 84.12 GB for days. (I'll admit that while it's possible my pipes may have hit a cap- given the amount of data, a cap is not the problem; an overzealous download is.)


The problem? How can I cancel this download? (Before answering, please keep reading...)


  • The "x" for cancelling the download is greyed out and non-responsive (and it has been like this since Thursday, Feb 16th- when I first tried noticed and to correct my mistake. In addition, the greyed-out status persists through restarts.)


  • Deactivating network connections pauses the download, but the "x" is still greyed out
    • (FWIW, This is the behavior I would expect in this context.)


  • Restarting or shutting down and starting up again doesn't make any difference.
    • (Again, this is the behavior I would expect in this context.)


So, repeating my question: How can I cancel this download?


Is there a specific process or process family I could kill? And if so, what else would I need to do to actually register the cancellation with iCloud and my iMac.


Mahalo!

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 12.0

Posted on Feb 22, 2023 2:56 PM

Reply

Similar questions

1 reply

Feb 23, 2023 3:34 PM in response to yaskota

Hi yaskota,


Welcome to Apple Support Communities. As the "x" to cancel the download is greyed out, let's go ahead and restart your Mac in safe mode. This is a simple process that delete some system caches, prevent loading certain software and more. When you restart your Mac in safe mode, let's see if you can cancel the download progress. Here are the steps on how to perform safe mode:


"How to use safe mode

Determine whether you're using a Mac with Apple silicon, then follow the appropriate steps:


Apple silicon

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window.
  3. Select your startup disk, then press and hold the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode.”
  4. Log in to your Mac. You might be asked to log in again.


Intel processor

  1. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key as your Mac starts up.
  2. Release the key when you see the login window, then log in to your Mac. 
  3. You might be asked to log in again. On either the first or second login window, you should see ”Safe Boot” in the upper-right corner of the window."


These steps are outlined in this helpful article: How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support


Once these steps are performed, you can restart your Mac as normal and see if this behavior is resolved.


We look forward to hearing back from you with an update.


Kind regards.


This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

[iMac 2017] Downloading from iCloud stuck

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.