I see two folders that have similar function and give rise to confusion. Is there a way to have both of them reflects each other without having to store them both, in fact doubling the disk space?
MacBook Pro, iOS 11.2.6
If you have enabled iCloud Drive including Documents & Desktop then you need not use those folders in your /Home folder. Everything is stored in the cloud. If you did not enable keeping Documents & Desktop stored on iCloud Drive then use the ones in your /Home folder. You need not use the ones on your disk drive if you prefer not to, and it would save you storage space.
It doesn't sound like the folders are syncing.
If you want to look on the computer for the one that is in iCloud, go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library/Mobile Documents to see if the document is there.
I think the mess I have came from me switching the iCloud services off an on and deciding to keep the files locally, and also from reinstalling the system. So in short, I need to move all the local files that are not on the iCloud and then I can delete all the local ones?
If you are syncing the files with iCloud, if you delete them from the computer, they will delete from iCloud. If the files are in your Documents folder or on your Desktop, you can go to System Preferences/iCloud/iCloud Drive/Options and turn Optimization on, which will remove files from your computer when additional disk space is needed on the computer.
If it won't progress after waiting a while, try going to System Preferences/iCloud and stop iCloud Drive syncing by unchecking the box. Wait a couple of minutes, then check syncing. You may need to drag the file back into iCloud Drive.
Last resort - have you tried signing out of iCloud and then sign back in?
I did sign out a couple of times because my other Apple Machines didn't sync properly. They still don't in fact. I don't get the proper Address sync for example between my MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, iPhone and iPad.
Try going to iCloud.com using a computer to see if the items are there and whether they are from the device or the computer. That should show whether the device or the computer isn't syncing. If the computer, try going to System Preferences/iCloud and stop syncing. Wait a couple of minutes, then recheck syncing. If the device, go to Settings/Your Name/iCloud and do the above. As a last resort, you can also try signing out of iCloud and then sign in again.
iCloud is a syncing system, not an external storage system. If you delete them from the device/computer they will be deleted from iCloud.
If you see one in iCloud Drive and the other is on your computer, that shouldn't be doubling your disk space. Are they the same folder or just similar?
The two folders are separate. Should I sync my local folder where I have been saving some files unwittingly, and delete all the files from it?
There are two distinct folders. One is in iCloud while the other is local. And they do not have the same content so I am guessing they don't sync.
I can both folders alright. The question I am asking is, can I keep just one? Why have a local copy if I already have it in iCloud?
But the local folder is not synced, is it?
If you go to the Finder Sidebar/iCloud Drive and you don't see the folder there, then it isn't synced, and you can delete it.
Its clear then 🙂. My iCloud is stuck on the uploa. It says it uploaded all of it but the bar is stuck with a little to go.
Documents folder - Local vs Icloud
