confusion about iCloud vs desktop storage

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Level 1

29 points

confusion about iCloud vs desktop storage

I am cleaning my m2 and I was looking at articles and I am confused now. I bought more space a while ago to use iCloud as a cloud mass storage device because Apple will always be around. I was having trouble and talked to support and was told that iCloud would only mirror the desktop. (same files that are up there have to be on my Mac book) Then I found this article that seems to say you can store extra stuff on iCloud and get it off your desktop. Store files in iCloud Drive on Mac - Apple Support. I have a 1TB drive and am starting to max it out. I am a sound mixer and the GB/Logic/Reason Loops are taking up a lot of space.

Help me out please?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.6

Posted on Jan 29, 2025 7:42 AM

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Answer 1

muguy

Level 10

93,544 points

Jan 29, 2025 8:17 AM in response to nelsonmay

Anything in iCloud is also on your device. If you elect to optimize storage, then some files may offload to iCloud only status only if space is needed on your device. You may be better served with an external hard drive unless you need access to all of your files across all of your devices.

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Answer 2

Jan 29, 2025 9:35 AM in response to nelsonmay

The link you provided opened with information about Sequoia. You indicate the you are using the previous OS, Sonoma. If you shift that article to Sonoma, then you will see that the section

Store older documents in iCloud when space is needed

is not shown, because that is not available in Sonoma. Sequoia does offer the ability to keep some iCloud Drive files in iCloud without them being stored locally.

As muguy has said, the primary purpose of iCloud Drive is to synchronize files so that the same files exist and are updated on all the connected devices. Internet access being not so great in some places I go, I carry a portable SSD with my MacBook.

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confusion about iCloud vs desktop storage

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