Strange Apple Folder icon

The new Icon is to remind you that the Master copies of items in this folder are "in the cloud", and it may take some TIME for them to become available. (Thus the progress bar icon on the folder, as you wait for them to re-appear by automatic download.)

eleon wrote:

What does this Folder icon with a white mark on it indicate?

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/cee0f265-3d60-4d49-9dd7-5d1af270478e

cloud based folder....

iCloud drive sync

Stashing some files 'on the cloud' (such as by Optimizing Storage to include iCloud storage) gives you what computer-heads call "near-line storage". Your files will automatically become available if you are willing to wait a few minutes. And yes, that is more complicated and has some caveats.

[in my opinion] this is nothing more than a 'cute trick', because iCloud storage space is only 5 GB by default -- microscopic compared to ANY real drive. I have idle hard drives retired because they are

'only" 80 GB, which is considered "too small".

if you want those files NOW, then they go on a local disk drive, not on the cloud. Drives are really cheap, by Historical standards.