Kentuckienne

Q: How can reduce iCloud use of cellular data?

I'm on a cellular connection and must reduce my data use. I just flat out turned off iCloud on my Mac, but when I look at turning off data from Pixelmator, Pages, Mail, etc. I am warned that I will lose all the data stored on my computer. I don't want to save data to iCloud - I manage my backups separately using other services and practices (local external drive, thumb drive in safe deposit box, dropbox, etc.).

 

Can I move my data locally so it is not deleted when I change this setting? Why is Mail even storing anything on iCloud when it's a local client? I don't care about deleting the files on iCloud so much as I don't want them to be kept in synch across devices. I have two iPads as well, and between all three devices there is a lot of data going back and forth for no reason. I manually synch the iPads to the computer and back them up regularly.

 

iCloud seems to be the biggest data offender.

 

Grateful for any advice.

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on Apr 14, 2016 10:38 AM

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Q: How can reduce iCloud use of cellular data?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Glenn Leblanc,

    Glenn Leblanc Glenn Leblanc Apr 14, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Kentuckienne
    Level 6 (11,016 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 14, 2016 10:49 AM in response to Kentuckienne

    Sounds like you are storing documents on iCloud drive. You can save all your data files on your computer and turn off iCloud drive and any other features you don't use.

     

    For iCloud Mail, it is an IMAP account and must stay enabled in order to use your apple email.

     

    So explain exactly what data you are storing in iCloud? Notes, documents, etc.

  • by Kentuckienne,

    Kentuckienne Kentuckienne Apr 14, 2016 11:25 AM in response to Glenn Leblanc
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 14, 2016 11:25 AM in response to Glenn Leblanc

    Settings tells me that if I turn iCloud off for say, Pixelmator, that ALL DOCUMENTS ON ICLOUD AND ON ALL MY DEVICES WILL BE DELETED. So that is scary. As far as I know, documents are stored on my local drive or on Dropbox. I've read horror stories of people actually losing data, because iCloud somehow said "that's mine" behind the scenes. If there were some way to find out what folders are being synched to iCloud, I could check them and move the files to another location.

     

    The warning just makes me nervous.

  • by Glenn Leblanc,Helpful

    Glenn Leblanc Glenn Leblanc Apr 15, 2016 12:18 PM in response to Kentuckienne
    Level 6 (11,016 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 15, 2016 12:18 PM in response to Kentuckienne

    Documents aren't erased from iCloud because you turn off or sign out of one device. They will remain in iCloud or other devices until deleted from there. Re enabling iCloud will make them available to the device again from the server.

     

    Open up the iCloud pane in System Preferences and look at what you have checked off. If you have iCloud drive enabled, you can look at iCloud.com to see what documents you have there.

    Just because you get that warning doesn't mean you have stored any documents in iCloud. That's a standard warning. It's your decision to save documents in iCloud or on the computer. You choose the location.

     

    Depending on what you have checked, you may have to save information on your computer. For example, if you have Contacts checked, you may have to move them to a local account before unchecking it. Calendars in iCloud should be exported on the computer, then reimported into a local calendar before unchecking that.

    If you need help with any of that, please indicate what you are using in iCloud and what you need help with saving. (Notes, Calendars, etc.).

     

    For you to continue to use Apple email, do not sign out of iCloud or uncheck Mail in preferences. You must keep mail enabled in preferences in order to use it.