Desktop shows icons from my other computers

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Desktop shows icons from my other computers

Running High Sierra 10.13.6 I have two Mac computers, a Macbook Air (early 2015) and a Mac Mini (l2014), and they both share their desktops with iCloud.

My Macbook Air shows icons from the Mac Mini even though the desktop computer is 120 miles away, and the two computers are not currently directly connected. I'd like to remove all the icons on the Macbook Air for folders etc. that are on only the Mini. But when I connect remotely to the Mini and tell it to share it's screen, and then delete a duplicate icon from one screen, it is deleted on the other screen.

Oddly, not all the folders on the Mini are duplicated on the Macbook Air.

How to I remove the duplicate icons for folders on one computer without also deleting them on the other?

MacBook Air, Late 2015 version

Posted on Sep 1, 2018 8:11 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Eric Root

Level 10

685,233 points

Sep 2, 2018 6:06 PM in response to masandman

By duplicate folders, do you mean data that is already on both computers? If you have selected Desktop and Documents syncing in System Preferences/iCloud/iCloud Drive/Options, deleting a folder from one Desktop will delete it from the other. That is the expected behavior when syncing. If you want to continue syncing, but don't want certain folders on both Desktops, you need to move that folder to a location other than the Desktop and Documents folder.

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Answer 2

masandman Author

Level 1

12 points

Sep 2, 2018 6:09 PM in response to Eric Root

Thanks - helpful answer. The duplicates appeared after I changed a preference a while ago. Must have turned on iCloud stanching on the Ana book. Sounds like I should stop syncing to iCloud for the laptop only, and keep it only for the desktop.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,233 points

Sep 2, 2018 7:14 PM in response to masandman

You are welcome.

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Desktop shows icons from my other computers

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