iCloud Desktop sync problem

Question

Level 1

31 points

iCloud Desktop sync problem

I enabled desktop and document syncing on my sierra iMac and it moved all my desktop files into a folder named Desktop - xxx's iMac. I didn't want them in a separate folder. That's why I had them on my desktop! I took the files out of that folder and put them back on the desktop then deleted the Desktop - xxx's iMac folder. Can't remember what else I did but it has all been going swimmingly with my desktop files where they're supposed to be and on the iCloud Drive they are in a folder named Desktop - xxx's iMac. Today I updated my laptop to Sierra and all my iMac desktop files filled my laptop desktop and all my laptop desktop files were moved to a folder named Desktop - xxx's MacBook. It should be the other way around as far as I'm concerned. I'd like my laptop to have it's own desktop files on the desktop along with a folder for my iMac's desktop and my iMac to have it's own desktop files on the desktop along with a folder for my Laptop's desktop Any ideas how to fix?

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015), 32G RAM 1TB flash drive

Posted on Oct 20, 2016 10:29 PM

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Answer 1

zinacef

Level 10

88,816 points

Oct 21, 2016 7:29 AM in response to Magicpony

What you describe is one of the new features of Sierra -- macOS Sierra: Store your desktop and documents in iCloud Drive

If you don't want those files saved to the Desktop & Documents folder, you will have to move it out of there to your Mac, then turn off iCloud Drive.

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

685,311 points

Oct 21, 2016 1:24 PM in response to Magicpony

You can go to System Preferences/iCloud/iCloud Drive/Options to turn off Document and Desktop syncing.

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Answer 3

Magicpony Author

Level 1

31 points

Oct 22, 2016 6:38 PM in response to Eric Root

I don't want to turn it off. I was hoping to have my laptop to have it's own desktop files on the desktop along with a folder for my iMac's desktop and my iMac to have it's own desktop files on the desktop along with a folder for my Laptop's desktop. Does anyone know if this is possible?

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Answer 4

zinacef

Level 10

88,816 points

Oct 22, 2016 7:25 PM in response to Magicpony

What you describe is possible providing you turn off iCloud Drive syncing.

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Answer 5

Magicpony Author

Level 1

31 points

Oct 22, 2016 9:50 PM in response to zinacef

Hi zinacef, I appreciate your help but I don't think turning off iCloud Drive syncing would achieve that because future files would not be updated. If all I wanted was to have my current iMac desktop files on my MacBook I could just drag them to my MacBook over my network and put them in a folder.

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Answer 6

revpbj

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2016 3:00 PM in response to Magicpony

Hi Magicpony, I hate that Sierra stole my desktop to the iCloud. I only use iCloud for documents that I am currently working on and now my whole desktop is synced to iCloud. When I turn iCloud off for my documents folder and desktop, it takes my desktop completely off my desktop! They are still stored in iCloud and I would have to move them all to another folder. I want my desktop back! Like you, I want to be able to manipulate exactly what I put in the cloud and what a don't so just turning syncing off will not work for us. Seems to me like this "new feature" with Sierra is a way to bloat your 5 GB of iCloud and get you to buy more storage space. Very disappointing. From what I've read so far, I will have to go through the laborious task of noting what I have on my desktop, unchecking the documents and desktop box in my iCloud options, then move my desktop items from the cloud BACK to my desktop where they were in the first place, not in the cloud. Almost makes me want to go back to a PC - ALMOST! Good luck with getting your stuff reworked. If I find an easier solution, I will post it. Sorry no easy fix here - just wanted to share my similar frustration. 😕😠

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Answer 7

revpbj

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2016 3:43 PM in response to Magicpony

Easy fix. I unchecked the Desktop and Documents folder in System Preferences, iCloud options, and held my breath! Everything on my desktop disappeared. I opened iCloud drive in Finder and voila, there were two folders named Desktop and Documents. I dragged them both to my desktop (now without the iCloud drive syncing them) and then dragged all the items back to where they were in the first place and trashed the empty folders. Easier than I thought but a bit scary when you see your desktop stuff disappear.

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Answer 8

revpbj

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2016 3:45 PM in response to zinacef

But the order to do it is to uncheck documents and desktop in iCloud first and then move the documents and desktop folders from iCloud to their original places, otherwise, iCloud will just sync them again and they will not move from iCloud. Uncheck first, then move.

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Answer 9

Magicpony Author

Level 1

31 points

Oct 31, 2016 3:53 PM in response to revpbj

In the end I just dragged all my desktop files out of the folders marked "Desktop-iMac" and "Desktop-MacBook" and had them all clutter my desktop. I went through and did a big cleanup and now have a mirror image of the desktop on each machine. That's probably what was supposed to be all along but the creation of those folders for each computer threw me off. I do think that would be a neater solution. (To have the contents of your other machine's desktop in a folder.) The current setup works though. It'll just make me be a bit more tidy with my desktop so as not to cram the smaller screen of my MacBook 🙂 It is nice to have something that I downloaded to my MacBook desktop available on the desktop of my iMac automatically. Thanks for all of your inputs.

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Answer 10

revpbj

Level 1

9 points

Oct 31, 2016 4:01 PM in response to Magicpony

🙂

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