I save a doc on the desktop but then can't find it on the desktop to open it. I have to use spotlight to find it, and when I do it's in the desktop folder. Why doesn't it show on the desktop?
MacBook Pro (2021)
It sounds like you have iCloud Drive storing your Desktop and Documents folders. This is useful when you have more than one device that wants to access these files, but sometimes it gets turned on by mistake. If you had it on in the past and shut if off, the files will remain on the iCloud Drive in the Desktop and Documents Folder with new documents created in the Desktop and Documents folder located on your computer. This could create the situation you are seeing where you see files in both folders that may not match. You can move the files out of your iCloud Drive folders and put them on your computer or delete them if they are already there. For more information, see this support article on how to use iCloud Drive for Documents and Desktop folders and how to stop using it if you would like.
Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support
It sounds like you have iCloud Drive storing your Desktop and Documents folders. This is useful when you have more than one device that wants to access these files, but sometimes it gets turned on by mistake. If you had it on in the past and shut if off, the files will remain on the iCloud Drive in the Desktop and Documents Folder with new documents created in the Desktop and Documents folder located on your computer. This could create the situation you are seeing where you see files in both folders that may not match. You can move the files out of your iCloud Drive folders and put them on your computer or delete them if they are already there. For more information, see this support article on how to use iCloud Drive for Documents and Desktop folders and how to stop using it if you would like.
Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support
Control-Click the file that does not show on your Desktop and choose Get Info. You would need to post the screenshot of that to see where the file is stored. Any folder can be named Desktop, but only the Desktop folder in your Home directory will be the one you see on your Desktop. It will also have this distinctive folder icon instead of the plain folder icon:
Your files are stored locally in the Users/Home/Library/Mobile Documents folder.
You can copy them to another location, an external drive or other folder if you have enough room, and then disable the iCloud Drive and let it delete the files in the Mobile Documents folder.
Then move the files you copied to the Documents or Desktop folder as needed. But be sure you confirm that the copying from the Mobile Documents folder is complete before you disable iCloud Drive.
The items in the iCloud folder on the Macmatch what's on the actual desktop. If I delete it from the iCloud folder it deletes it from the actual desktop on the Mac. I don't want my desktop items in two different places. How to I first, make sure I'm keeping at least one of everything and also get rid of having the in two different places? I tried following the instructions on the link but when I clicked Options (next to the iCloiud drive under Apple ID) it warned that if I deselect it will delete the item from all devices, including the Mac. How can I stop saving things on the phone and iPad but keep them on the Mac?
carolagate wrote:
I don't want my desktop items in two different places.
Disable iCloud Drive and when you get this popup pane
select "Keep a Copy".
I didn't get that window. I got this.
Spotlight shows Desktop folder twice, but they are both have the same contents, including the few items that don't have icons on the desktop. Get info for both are: iCloud>documents>my data
Thank you! I don't have time to do this now, but I did shut iCloud off in the past. I don't have time to try it now, but it sounds right.
Why are some docs listed in the desktop folder but aren't shown on the desktop
