turning off and getting docs and desktop off of iCloud

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Mercury2023 Author

Level 1

4 points

turning off and getting docs and desktop off of iCloud

I didn't want my things to go on iCloud or iCloud Drive. I signed in and turned it on so that I could

subscribe to my niece's movie file. Now I get a message that my documents and desktop will be deleted if I turn off iCloud and they'll remain on the cloud. What do I have to do to get out of iCloud without losing my documents file and everything on my desktop? I'm using a MacBook Pro around 2015 model. But also would like to get my things off of iCloud that are on my old iPhone 4s, 6 and current iPhone 8.

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Jun 9, 2023 11:39 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

FoxFifth

Level 10

471,951 points

Jun 9, 2023 1:00 PM in response to Mercury2023

For information about turning off iCloud Desktop and Documents, see the following from Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Turn off Desktop and Documents

From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings. In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
Click Done.

What happens when you turn off Desktop and Documents

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.

or if you completely turn off iCloud Drive on a Mac, see the following from that same support article:

What happens when you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. You also have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. If you keep a local copy of your files in iCloud Drive, they're copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. You can move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents to your new local Desktop and Documents.

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Answer 2

FoxFifth

Level 10

471,951 points

Jul 23, 2023 12:58 PM in response to Mercury2023

If you don't want any files on iCloud, completely turn off iCloud Drive and use the following instructions from Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. You also have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. If you keep a local copy of your files in iCloud Drive, they're copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. You can move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents to your new local Desktop and Documents.

That puts an empty Documents folder and a new empty Desktop folder back where they were originally. They are empty and don't take any space. Then you can simply use Finder to open the iCloud Drive (Archive) folder and select all in the respective subfolder and then drag them to the new empty Documents folder and the new empty Desktop folder.

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Answer 3

Mercury2023 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 22, 2023 1:42 PM in response to FoxFifth

Thank you. Sorry it's taken me a while to respond. I'm still confused and hesitant about this process although I don't want my files on the cloud. Questions: 1. What's the difference between turning off Desktop and /orDocuments and "or if you completely turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud?" I'm nervous to do any of above as, 2. I didn't want a new Desktop and Doc folder, but would like the same original situation with these. Is that possible? Seems complicated and taking up more space to have to create a new folder on my computer for these when the computer came with these. 3. were the files all removed from my computer and put on the cloud and I'm working on the cloud now when I use my desktop folders/ apps and documents? 4. It seems my desktop (all the files on it including downloads...) and my Documents folder , are now on the two clouds and as if locked or controlled by the Cloud.

5. Were they removed completely from their original place and put on the cloud?

How could that be that I can't have them without starting a new folder for these and dragging them out of iCloud? 6. Not sure how I get to the place in the cloud to drag them and nervous to try-- it's a lot of files and if that's only where they are existing at this point.... 7. I would usually put them on my external back up file.

I appreciate that the cloud would have them if anything happened to my computer and I couldn't open it..., but seems there are hoops and lack of privacy with the cloud? For example, a disadvantage: air drop is not working to transfer audio files from my computer to my iphone. Sorry for my lack of understanding. I'm a senior and think more linear-like!

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turning off and getting docs and desktop off of iCloud

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