Saving documents on the hard drive... not iCloud

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

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

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

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.

I would suggest creating a new uniquely named folder on your Mac hard drive, then start moving the things you want on your Mac manually from iCloud Drive. You may want the items in the same folder (all documents, for example), but you may want to put other types of files (like photos) into a different folder.

Just start moving them to the new folders on your Mac until you have moved everything you want to move, then delete the contents from iCloud Drive (if any remain), go to >System Preferences>iCloud>iCloud Drive>Options>, and turn off the Desktop & Documents option.

Cheers,

GB

Hi there - I hope you have already figured this out, but I thought I might try to help and maybe help others with this issue. To create a new folder which is NOT in the Documents folder nor on the Desktop of your Mac, open a Finder window (equivalent of a File Explorer window on a Windows PC) - for me, I click on the "face" icon in my dock. Depending on the view you have chosen, you should see a window with a list of system folders (denoted with an icon within the picture of the folder as opposed to a plain folder icon) on the right and a list of "Favorites," "Devices," and "Tags" on the left. If the window isn't split into two, go to the View menu and select "Show Sidebar". Select the "house" icon at the bottom of the favorites list. Now right click (two finger click if using the touchpad) in the right side and choose "New Folder" when the menu pops up. Name it anything you want except "Documents" or "Desktop." This folder should show up in that window on the right from the home view, but it should not show up when you go into "Documents". That folder should be safe in which to put files (docs, pics, etc.) that you want on your hard drive, but not on the iCloud Drive. If I understand this correctly, iCloud Drive "knows" to sync items/files from both the system Documents folder and the Desktop, but not other locations like this folder just created. Hope this helps and if I've given any incorrect or incomplete info here, please be kind and correct me!

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.

Did you turn off Desktop & Documents in System Preferences>iCloud>iCloud Drive>Options? It needs to be turned off if you don't want things going automatically to iCloud.

Cheers,

GB

Peggy Sue Amelon wrote:

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.

If you have the Desktop & Documents option turned on, then all Desktop items and all Documents will go to iCloud Drive. You can also save it to a local folder, but that has to be done intentionally. As I said in the previous post, if you are not syncing those Desktop and Document items with another Mac, then not sure why you have it turned on at all?

Cheers,

GB

The iCloud Drive Archive file is in your Home folder in the Finder. To find it easily, click on your Hard Drive icon, then in the Search Bar, type in Archive:

When you turn off Desktop & Documents (not iCloud Drive, just that option under the Options in iCloud Drive), it will create new, empty, Desktop and Documents folders for you. Then, locate your Archive, open the folder, and select any or all items and drag them to the new empty folders that were created.

Best,

GB

Here is an excerpt from a previous answer. Hope this helps you!

To create a new folder which is NOT in the Documents folder nor on the Desktop of your Mac, open a Finder window (equivalent of a File Explorer window on a Windows PC) - for me, I click on the "face" icon in my dock. Depending on the view you have chosen, you should see a window with a list of system folders (denoted with an icon within the picture of the folder as opposed to a plain folder icon) on the right and a list of "Favorites," "Devices," and "Tags" on the left. If the window isn't split into two, go to the View menu and select "Show Sidebar". Select the "house" icon at the bottom of the favorites list. Now right click (two finger click if using the touchpad) in the right side and choose "New Folder" when the menu pops up. Name it anything you want except "Documents" or "Desktop." This folder should show up in that window on the right from the home view, but it should not show up when you go into "Documents". That folder should be safe in which to put files (docs, pics, etc.) that you want on your hard drive, but not on the iCloud Drive.

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.

OK, let' start with the basics:

iCloud has several functions, all of which you can choose to use or not. The various services and features available under the iCloud umbrella are:

iCloud Sync: The iCloud Sync function allows you to select whether you want to sync your Contacts, Calendars, Notes, Reminders, etc. between devices.

iOS Device iCloud Backups: You can back up the contents of your devices automatically or manually

iCloud Photo Library: You can use iCloud syncing/sharing services to upload all of your photos to a common library that can be accessed and shared by all of your devices and computers

iCloud Drive: You can upload files to iCloud Drive so that they can be shared among all of your devices and computers. An additional option here is to set up your Macs to use iCloud Drive to share your Desktop and Document folders between all of them. If you choose this option, then they all would have mirror desktops, and would also all have all documents between them.

In addition to all of the above iCloud features which do take up your allotted iCloud Storage, the following services are also available, and they do not take up any iCloud Storage:

Photo Stream

iCloud Photo Sharing

iCloud Music Library (for Apple Music and iTunes Match)

You can select any or all of these features, and tailor which ones you use individually by device. There is no overall dictate as to how you use iCloud and its various services.

Note: One other "Cloud" reference in the Apple lexicon is "iTunes in the Cloud". This particular phrase refers to your iTunes purchases that you do not have downloaded to a particular device, but which is represented on that device with a little cloud next to it, indicating that you can download it from iTunes in the Cloud where it is being saved for you.

Take a look at that outline to see what further questions you might have about the basic structure.

Cheers,

GB

Now I have a lot of files with "Out of Space" written underneath them.

Do you by any chance more files on iCloud Drive than will fit locally on your Mac?

In that case you will need to free storage on your Mac before you can disable the "Desktop&Documents" options and "Optimize Storage".