Removing one of two ICloud synced folders on the same machine

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Level 1

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Removing one of two ICloud synced folders on the same machine

Windows 11 laptop, in which two separate physical folders both behave as iCloud Drive sync targets despite the iCloud for Windows app reporting only one as the configured sync location.

Two distinct physical folders exist on the laptop's local disk:

C:\Users\User\iCloudDrive — created 09 January 2026, contains approximately 91 MB across hundreds of files in nested subfolders.
C:\Users\User\Documents\iCloudDrive — recently modified, contains approximately 685 MB across thousands of files in nested subfolders.

Both folders display iCloud sync status icons in File Explorer (cloud icons, green ticks, download indicators). Both folders appear to be actively managed by the iCloud client.

A new file placed in either folder appears in the other folder instantly — propagation is immediate, indicating local mirroring rather than a cloud round-trip. This was verified by creating a uniquely-named test file (unique-test-andrew-1430.txt) in one folder and observing its instant appearance in the other.

The iCloud for Windows app's Drive Settings panel shows only C:\Users\User\Documents\iCloudDrive as the configured sync folder. The C:\Users\User\iCloudDrive folder is not visible in iCloud's settings UI but is clearly being managed by the iCloud client based on its sync icon overlays and behavioural mirroring.

Obsidian (a Markdown note-taking application) detects both folders as containing the same vault, leading to confusion about which is canonical for the user's data.

iPad Pro, iPadOS 26

Posted on Apr 29, 2026 6:40 AM

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Answer 1

WheelieNick

Level 9

61,120 points

Sep 8, 2026 5:38 AM in response to Zimbandrew

The immediate, local mirroring you are experiencing between C:\Users\User\iCloudDrive and C:\Users\User\Documents\iCloudDrive is caused by a NTFS Directory Junction or a Symbolic Link (Symlink).

One of these folders is not actually a real folder; it is a virtual pointer referencing the other. Because they point to the exact same physical block of data on your hard drive, any operation (creation, modification, or deletion) performed inside one folder affects the other instantly. The iCloud client overlays sync icons onto both because the operating system treats them as identical entry paths.

Do not delete either folder normally via File Explorer. If you right-click and delete either folder (or files inside them), Windows will follow the link and permanently erase the physical files from the active canonical directory, which will then sync the deletions to your iCloud cloud storage.

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