Saving documents on the hard drive... not iCloud

I have the same question. When I followed your instructions, it gave me this message: "If you continue, items will be removed from the Desktop and the Documents folder on this Mac and will remain available in iCloud Drive." That sounds like the OPPOSITE of what I want to accomplish.

I would agree when it comes to how the iCloud Drive wants to manage how I use my documents on my laptop - it's not convenient. I assume this setup is Apple's way of locking people in to using their cloud storage system, which will require that more cloud space be purchased, and that if we want "our" documents, then we have to stay in the iCloud Drive ecosystem. The idea of being able to access files from multiple devices is fine, but as far as I can see, the iCloud Drive is a "service" that is dictating how and where I want to store information. If someone has a clearer understanding of the iCloud Drive system, I would welcome your comments.

If you continue, items will be removed from the Desktop and the Documents folder on this Mac and will remain available in iCloud Drive." That sounds like the OPPOSITE of what I want to accomplish.

If your turn off iCloud Drive from the iCloud preferences, NOT the Desktop and Documents folder sub-option, you should get the dialog you are looking for.

Then you'll get this dialog, which give you the option to download your files to an archive before turning off iCloud Drive.

I just followed this and said keep a copy. However, I can not find an iCloud archive anywhere. All my files are now deleted and don't know how to get them back. Please help as some of the files were very important. Was just trying to save files on my hard drive and now iCloud Drive.

caglatry wrote:

How can I create folders on imac or mac? I want this folder to be somewhere else other than desktop or documents. (I would like to save documents under a different folder than desktop or documents - otherwise they will be automatically saved to icloud drive.)

thanks!

They will only be "automatically" saved to iCloud Drive if you have set it up to do that. If you want them saved to your local hard drive instead, then go to >System Preferences>iCloud>iCloud Drive>Options>, and turn off Desktop & Documents. Then follow the instructions to move them back into your hard drive from iCloud Drive, and you will be all set:

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.

Cheers,

GB

The problem I'm having is that when I turn of iCloud Drive (deselect the box you are referring to), all of my files disappear even though I select "save a copy". There is no iCloud Drive (Archive) that I can find with the local copy.

You indicated that you can save your files in another location before unchecking "iCloud Drive", but I have no other location I can save them to.

What I'm trying to do is turn off iCloud Drive and save my existing documents to my hard drive. None of the above instructions work to turn either save my documents to a different location prior to unchecking the iCloud Drive box in System Preferences, or to access the copy that was supposedly saved after I unchecked the iCloud Drive box in System Preferences.

I believe that you have to turn off iCloud, then download all of those files and folders that it took off your computer and put them back on your computer. When you create a folder that is for files and folders NOT going to iCloud it must be done using these steps Re: add new folder not icloud Then you can flip on the iCloud switch on for Desktop and Documents should you choose to use it. I wish I had known this before turning it on as I now have a huge mess of duplicates that I don't have time to mess with. Fortunately I have a hard drive that can handle it all (the cloud is not that useful to me). Even though I'm a newbie to these forums, I hope this helps; I've had a Mac and only a Mac since 1988.

The poster did not clearly state what the issue was, or how the size of their hard drive was related to their iCloud issues.

MessiahMusic wrote:

The fact is that the default setting on the new OS sets everything to go to the iCloud, which only has 5GB available for free, and for those of us with phones, chances are that is already full of photos etc. Thus, the very moment you try to save anything the iCloud is full.

The new OS does not set everything to go to iCloud. If you are specifically referring to Desktop & Documents, you may have simply overlooked the page where the question as to whether you want to use it or not came up. The option to not use it isn't very prominent, so it is easy to do. But it is just as easy to turn it off if you don't like it:

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.

From this support article: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

If you are using iCloud Photo Library, that is also your choice. I don't use iCloud Photo Library - never have. So, if you have photos in iCloud, it is because you chose to turn on iCloud Photo Library.

You must be signed into iCloud for some services, but you have complete control over what parts of iCloud you use.

If you want to save a document in iCloud Drive, then make sure you have enough storage to do so. If you are using iCloud Photo Library, it is highly unlikely that the 5GB free that you get will be enough to house that library as well as anything else you might want to store on iCloud.

Here is an overview of the various parts of iCloud that may clarify how it works for you: iCloud Deconstructed | Communities

Cheers,

GB

What is it, exactly, that you are wanting to do? Your Desktop & Documents are already saved on both your hard drive and in iCloud Drive if you have that option turned on. But the way you access them, if you have that option on, is via iCloud Drive.

If you don't want them in iCloud Drive, but only want them on your computer, you would follow these instructions:

Turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents.

From this support article: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Otherwise, can you please explain what, exactly, it is that you want to do?

Best,

GB

Yes. Click on the , then on System Preferences>iCloud>iCloud Drive>Options, and uncheck the Desktop & Documents option. You can also move all of the documents & desktop items in those folders on iCloud Drive to new folders you have set up on your Mac.

When you save documents, you will be asked where you want to save them going forward.

Cheers,

GB

Copy the files from iCloud Drive to a folder other than Documents and the Desktop. Go to System Preferences/iCloud/iCloud Drive/Options and turn off syncing. You should then be able to delete the files from iCloud Drive in Finder. When complete, rearrange the files as desired.

I'm afraid that you do not understand how iCloud and documents work together.

You do not have to have documents automatically go to iCloud Drive. You have complete control over what documents from your Mac get into iCloud Drive so that they can be accessed by other Apple devices and computer.

The way to do this is to turn off "Desktop & Documents" in System Preferences>iCloud>iCloud Drive>Options, turn it off.

Before you do that, however, move the Documents that are in iCloud to a local file on your Mac - (name it anything but just plain Documents). Then you can decide which of these will go back on iCloud.

Best of luck,

GB

i can't even find my hard drive icon any more.

You can make it visible in the Finder preferences. Click somewhere on your empty Desktop to bring the Finder forward, then open the Finder preferences from the main menu bar: Finder > Preferences ⌘,

Enable all devices to show in the general tab of the preferences and in the Sidebar tab.

I just tried this on my iMac and what happened was just the opposite of what you stated - my documents and desktop folder (as viewed in finder) moved from the desktop to the iCloud drive!

Have you checked System Preferences > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Options?

If "Desktop and Documents" has been enabled there, both folders will be moved to iCloud Drive.

Before you disable the option "Desktop and Documents", move all documents back to local folders in your Home folder. Only then disable the option.

Anyway, it is not compulsory to store the iWorks documents on iCloud Drive, if iCloud Drive is enabled. You can save them to any folder in your home folder you create for yourself.

You can create folders in your home folder and drag the documents there, that you do not want to sync with iCloud.

Your Home folder is showing in the Finder sidebar with the house icon:

While you are viewing your Home folder in the Finder, enter the key combination ⇧⌘N to create a new folder there. Drag any documents and data you want to keep stored locally to such a new folder.