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Desktop and Documents Folder keep showing up in iCloud Drive

My Desktop and Documents Folder keep showing up in iCloud Drive even though I turned it off in settings. What can I do to delete those?

MacBook Pro 15″

Posted on Apr 12, 2023 1:19 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 12, 2023 4:37 PM

By default these two folders are in iCloud section Folders that come with your Mac - Apple Support 

Important: Your home folder and certain other folders can’t be renamed. It’s best not to rename or move folders that came with your Mac. Many of these folders have special uses and are necessary for your Mac to function correctly.

Click on finder and open its preferences > under side bar section " uncheck " documents and desktops box Change preferences in the Finder on Mac - Apple Support

Note : you can't delete those folders permanently .

10 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 12, 2023 4:37 PM in response to amareone

By default these two folders are in iCloud section Folders that come with your Mac - Apple Support 

Important: Your home folder and certain other folders can’t be renamed. It’s best not to rename or move folders that came with your Mac. Many of these folders have special uses and are necessary for your Mac to function correctly.

Click on finder and open its preferences > under side bar section " uncheck " documents and desktops box Change preferences in the Finder on Mac - Apple Support

Note : you can't delete those folders permanently .

Apr 26, 2023 7:21 PM in response to GracedSeeker763

The documents and desktops folders are not completely synced Get file, folder and disk information on Mac – Apple Support

  • In iCloud: The In iCloud status icon  tells you that the folder or file is only in iCloud. You must be connected to the Internet to work with the item, unless you download it to your Mac. Control-click the file, then choose Download Now.

Make sure iCloud Drive , should be turned as on Use iCloud Drive to store documents on your Mac and iOS devices - Apple Support


May 1, 2023 7:18 PM in response to GracedSeeker763

May be , before you sign out Apple ID from Mac system preferences , the iCloud Keychain verification code will be lost , to be on safer side overwrite the code and keep it in records Method to sign out from iCloud account . - Apple Community

The iCloud data , the applications like notes , mails , photos that are on server will not be lost they will again sync .

See the article If you sign out of your Apple ID preferences on Mac - Apple Support

Apr 26, 2023 8:56 PM in response to GracedSeeker763

If you had signed out Apple ID from Mac system preferences and again signed in with the same credentials an option comes in upcoming steps to check the box of desktops and documents if you had forgotten to check it then these folders will not get download .

For that you had to again sign out , sign in with credentials and check mark the folders .

Desktop and Documents Folder keep showing up in iCloud Drive

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