You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: gxhxoxsxtxfxm
gxhxoxsxtxfxm Author
User level: Level 1
15 points

How to unsync an iCloud folder without losing the original source

I have synced both my Desktop and Documents folders on my iCloud. iCloud is now full and I no longer would like to keep them in sync. According to this page(section called How to stop syncing Desktop and Documents Folder to iCloud Drive in macOS Sierra) you just have to uncheck the Desktop & Documents Folders in iCloud settings. When I do so, I get the following warning:

User uploaded file

But what I aim to do is the opposite. I would like to keep the files on my current Macbook and unsync from my iCloud to free up space there.


When I manually navigate to my iCloud via Finder and remove the folders, the original files are removed with them. This is slightly confusing.


I just want to unsync the folders from the cloud. It's very straightforward in Dropbox.

MacBook Pro TouchBar and Touch ID, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on May 7, 2018 2:38 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: raina_b22
raina_b22
User level: Community Specialist

Posted on May 16, 2018 11:37 PM

Hi there, gxhxoxsxtxfxm!
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! That is a great question you have no longer syncing your files to iCloud and I am happy to help! Based on what you are describing, I would suggest taking a look at this article to Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive. Specifically, take a look at this information about turning off Desktop and Documents:

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 User uploaded file > 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.


Once you have moved the files and turned off iCloud Drive, you can go to www.icloud.com and delete files on iCloud to free up space. Check out this article to Manage your iCloud storage and follow these steps:


Cloud.com

You can manage your files from the iCloud Drive app at iCloud.com.

  1. Sign in to iCloud.com.
  2. Click the iCloud Drive app.
  3. Select the files that you want to delete, then click User uploaded file.
  4. Open the iCloud Drive folder and click Recently Deleted.
  5. Select the files that you want to delete.
  6. Click Delete.


Have a great day!
View in context

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: raina_b22
raina_b22
User level: Community Specialist

May 16, 2018 11:37 PM in response to gxhxoxsxtxfxm

Hi there, gxhxoxsxtxfxm!
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! That is a great question you have no longer syncing your files to iCloud and I am happy to help! Based on what you are describing, I would suggest taking a look at this article to Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive. Specifically, take a look at this information about turning off Desktop and Documents:

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 User uploaded file > 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.


Once you have moved the files and turned off iCloud Drive, you can go to www.icloud.com and delete files on iCloud to free up space. Check out this article to Manage your iCloud storage and follow these steps:


Cloud.com

You can manage your files from the iCloud Drive app at iCloud.com.

  1. Sign in to iCloud.com.
  2. Click the iCloud Drive app.
  3. Select the files that you want to delete, then click User uploaded file.
  4. Open the iCloud Drive folder and click Recently Deleted.
  5. Select the files that you want to delete.
  6. Click Delete.


Have a great day!
Reply

How to unsync an iCloud folder without losing the original source

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up