Q: Delete Mobile Documents directories

I have this same question. There are old apps listed that I don't use any longer, and I'd love to remove their old cruft, even if it's not a major space issue.

Not sure this is legit, but I'd like to give this thread a bump to see if there are any options here.

So I studied a little on this subject. These are so called iCloud containers that can't be deleted. This is by design. For more details on this subject, from a developer perspective, see Enabling CloudKit in Your App and iCloud Fundamentals (Key-Value and Document Storage).

This essentially means that Apple keeps an infinite log of every iCloud-enabled app that you have ever used. I agree that this is a bad thing. Take note: Apple is a company that's usually regard as minimalistic and that advertises their selfs for having 'privacy by design'.

Damian Dudycz wrote:

Still no way to solve this. I continue to have these folders of apps I deleted long time ago.

Are you sure there is anything to 'solve'? This folder is part of iClouds document syncing with devices. If you start removing that data you may find that apps stop showing all of your files that you created.

Nijntje wrote:

 

So I studied a little on this subject. These are so called iCloud containers that can't be deleted. This is by design. For more details on this subject, from a developer perspective, see Enabling CloudKit in Your App and iCloud Fundamentals (Key-Value and Document Storage).

 

This essentially means that Apple keeps an infinite log of every iCloud-enabled app that you have ever used. I agree that this is a bad thing. Take note: Apple is a company that's usually regard as minimalistic and that advertises their selfs for having 'privacy by design'.

I think this really depends on the app that saved the data…

Apps should purge the data if you opt to remove iCloud data within the app (where possible).

iOS has 'Settings app > iCloud > Storage > Manage Storage'. That will show (some of) the synced app data. You can delete those & then iCloud purges them from your other synced devices too.

http://www.imore.com/how-free-icloud-storage-space-cleaning-unused-documents-and -data

On older OS X versions you may have the 'Documents & Data' in the iCloud settings, that lists the apps that are allowed to use iCloud for storage - but you can't delete them. This part of the UI has also changed too much for me to keep track of so it is probably different for you, dig into System Preferences > iCloud.

As for the 'privacy' complaint - someone needs access to your iCloud account or to an unlocked/ unencrypted device to view this - all bets are off in that case. If you have any concern about privacy you should use encryption with screen locking and review any cloud based services.

Apple's 'minimalism' is the reason that this is beyond your control.

iCloud.com also has a 'reset documents' option in the settings. I don't know if that will help here, the explanation to what it does is also vague (good job Apple).

Reset iCloud Documents & Data - Apple Support

The article is obsolete but the feature still exists in the iCloud.com settings page at the bottom (I did check & it is still there for me). That reset is unlikely to help anyway as I tried to elucidate earlier.

These folders are how iCloud is designed to work, so you can stop using iCloud or forget about your aspirations for a 'clean system'.

It may seem blunt but as you have already seen - iCloud is not designed to allow you to micromanage it. The folders will be empty if you have no data in that application. If you do have data then you probably need to open the app & remove it.

I also just noticed a 'manage storage' option on OS X's System Preferences > iCloud. That does allow you to list & delete some apps from the iCloud containers storage. That will differ as Apple seems to alter it for every OS version…

The key to this 'problem' is that iCloud holds the 'truth' in the cloud, so any changes you hope to make have to be done in the cloud otherwise the system will re-fetch the folders when on the internet. 'Truth' is considered to be the one central store of your data, Apple decided to put that 'truth' on their servers & didn't give you full the tools to do as you desire.

Sorry it seems like it is not fit for the purpose you want, so you can complain to Apple or stop using it.

http://apple.com/feedback

Get info on the Mobile Documents folder to see how much disk space it uses, it may be very little or too little to worry about.

Drew Reece wrote:

 

Are you sure there is anything to 'solve'? This folder is part of iClouds document syncing with devices. If you start removing that data you may find that apps stop showing all of your files that you created.

 

I think this really depends on the app that saved the data…

Apps should purge the data if you opt to remove iCloud data within the app (where possible).

This topic is not regarding files or app data, but discusses the empty directories that remain.

Drew Reece wrote:

 

As for the 'privacy' complaint - someone needs access to your iCloud account or to an unlocked/ unencrypted device to view this - all bets are off in that case. If you have any concern about privacy you should use encryption with screen locking and review any cloud based services.

There is absolutely no need for retaining this information on Apple's servers, nor for sending them via internet to devices and maintaining a local copy there as well.

Top notch security is no guarantee against undesired access. If this data is infinitely kept, there's plenty of time for f.e. malicious attacks to succeed or changed privacy policy due to leadership change, acquisitions, mergers and what not.

No matter how small the risk of getting compromised, deleting this obsolete information would eliminate the risk completely.

Damian Dudycz wrote:

 

For me it's not really a privacy concern as much as that I would like to have it under control and maintain my system clean.

This too, indeed. It's clutter. And you should have

• the ability to manage your data;
• the ability to decide what's on your device.

Drew Reece wrote:

 

or stop using it.

That's one way to go...