iCloud Drive With or Without Desktop & Documents Folders

[@sidchanchal]

It’s refreshing to see a presenter on KZbin who is truly focused on the subject, makes a sincere effort at explaining to all levels of expertise, and is respectful of other possible opinions on the topic! I enjoyed your tutorial of iCloud Documents & Desktop feature.

[@macmost]

thank you!

[@LJ-jq8og]

WOW ! You are an educational genius !! 🔥 That presentation was phenomenal. First time I ever truly "got it". The accompanying chart drove it home. BRAVO ! The "best practices" advice is also killer 😊 and THANK YOU so much. !! 🙏❤

[@douglasemsantos]

Whenever I need to setup anything on my Mac I come to your KZbin channel, because I know I'll fine a relevant video related to what I need. Thank for the great content!

[@ColtBanks]

Thank you Gary for this. I have tried iCloud in the past and didn't understand the desktop feature. I currently use GDrive most of the time now, but everything I try has drawbacks. I have 1T One Drive cloud included with MS Office 365, but have never used it. Also, I pay for both iCloud storage to backup our phones and pay for GDrive storage to backup our rental business and church records. The identities of these can be a nightmare. I have 3 user accounts at Microsoft, 4 accounts with iCloud due to our phones, and 5 Google accounts including the church account. If I try to share, it gets really complicated, especially since both my wife and I take care of the rental business records. Thank God that I retired 2 years ago, because I worked for 2 different companies. I had in addition to the above, 2 iCloud accounts as I had 2 work iPhones and 2 Macbooks but with different MS Office 365 accounts and corresponding iCloud accounts.

[@briancason2474]

I had to set audio at .5 speed but once I did I was able to walk with you step by step all the way! Now I get it.

[@bfleming6665]

Gary you are an incredible asset for us Mac users. icloud has confused me for a long time and watching a couple of your videos today on the subject has finally made it come together. Thank you so much. You do this so well...even if I have to watch it several times for it to sink in! LOL

[@barrybebenek8691]

Absolutely a perfect explanation of the iCloud Desktop. It confused me at first when I recently got my M1 Mac, but it’s a great feature for me. Thanks for this video and explaining it even further. The graphic is a perfect companion. 🇨🇦👍🏼

[@mbryars]

Excellent review. I was already familiar with this and have been using iCloud with desktop and documents for sometime. However you made this so clear and easy to understand. Thanks

[@TheNailHub]

This was extremely helpful. Love the documents folder for best practices advice. Makes perfect sense! You've got a new subscriber and a big thanks from a fellow KZbinr. :)

[@gillianglover5112]

Thank you for giving me the confidence to move forward to make this feature work for me. I tried it once before and I freaked out - I couldn't understand where things were. This video has made it so much clearer for me.

[@victormarban9229]

You explained in a few minutes what I have wondered for a decade. Thank you!

[@monarchxero1822]

I could not for the life of me figure out where the local desktop and documents folders were. The added visuals were extremely helpful to since I was struggling to navigate the various storage folders. My iCloud is always over filled with documents so I was able to clear up so much space by moving said documents to the local folders. Thanks for making this awesome vid!

[@scottbeeker4224]

What you. can do is create "Folder" Aliases. for the. Documents and. Desktop and put them in the Finder and on the Side. Bar that point to the iCloud Versions such that when you go to look for them they are there in spirit...

[@YvonneSchwartzYVON]

Thank you so much. one of your other videos suggested the use of documents in iCloud. It was exactly what I needed to do today. This video reinforced and help me find out how I can make sure my file folders are arranged as I had them on the windows computer that I replaced. I was concerned this morning that files weren't in iCloud and my documents but this was the perfect video to see that I am on track and actually have my files where I want them and the file folders within the file folders within the file folders, etc as I wanted. Thank you for the precise information and great presentation

[@KimMunday]

Many thanks Gary for sharing your never ending knowledge. iCloud now makes sense. Thank you. Forget the rest, Gary is the BEST.

[@tom2move]

Wow, you have very clearly and patiently explained how this should work, many thanks.

[@paulhipkiss932]

This is my go to channel for getting the best from my Mac - thank you, keep up the great work.

[@antoniosousa_61]

Gary, I’m just setup a new iMac (data from an old miniMac) for my wife and this was exactly my doubt, because she created a terrible confusion in her data. Thank you very much. Regards from Lisbon, Portugal, Europe. António

[@timothyvanpelt_cyclist]

The quality of your videos and explanations are way better than the intro (which looks a bit old fashioned). Thank you!

[@reeseoroni]

Thank god for this well-organized video. I was going crazy trying to figure out what happened to my Desktop Folder. This explains it so well and I am relieved. Great job on this video. Oh, and the "chart" was significantly helpful to a visual person like me.

[@stephenschulte3996]

Another GR8 video, Gary!!! I keep my documents / desktop folder on my main Mac - not on iCloud. (Photos and other things OK - on iCloud, but not Documents and Desktop). I have a very organized hierarchical structure to my Mac (and have had that since my Mac SE in 1989…) Under my HOME folder I have my "Steve-Main" folder which is 141 gb in size. (I don't use the "Documents" to store my personal data). In that I have 12 sub-folders (Steve-1, Steve-2, Steve-3 and 9 others-- thinks like Printers, Family, Macs, iOS etc.) Each sub-folder has from 4 to 18 sub-sub-folders (if I may express it that way) - for example Steve-1 has a Financial folder which has 8 sub-folders including Banks, Balance Sheets, Retirement etc. Banks includes my 8 financial institutes that I use (not all are strictly "banks") and then more sub-folders. Generally I don't go deeper than 10 sub folders. AND all this is intuitive. To access the key 50 gb of folders I use SugarSync - like having my Mac on my iPhone or iPad!! (I could store everything but only 40-50 gb are really "key" information to have all the time). Of course using "Image2icon" all my folders have artwork! A real joy to go to my Mac these last 34 years! Just upgraded to Big Sur -- I don't rush into new macOS's!! Steve on Tuesday 1 August 2023.

[@antonioquiroz4]

Awwwhhh . . This takes the confusion out of everything I wondered about saving files and iCloud, Gary! ThkU you for your huge content contribution. I am WOW’d.

[@brucecodding3415]

The graphics showing iCloud Drive on and off was very helpful. Picture worth 10,000 words. Thank you.

[@JWright1301]

Great explanation! I have mine set up a little different. I have my iCloud turned off but I still have a Document and a Desktop folder in both my local and iCloud. I like it this way so I can pick and choose when I want to save something locally or on iCloud.

[@jason41a]

thanks gary for this very informative video. we appreciate the way you make them understandable for the non-tech people. i do have one question though, if i have two macs, and i turn on 'desktop & documents on iCloud', on say mac 1, what will happen on mac 2? will mac 2 automatically move its' document and desktop folders to the cloud and 'merges' with that of mac 1? or will I have to turn it on manually?

[@macmost]

No, you can have it with one Mac on, the other off. The other Mac would have two Documents and Desktop folder sets, one in the Home folder and one in iCloud Drive.

[@jason41a]

@@macmost thanks so much. i really appreciate the help!

[@markconradt5873]

Very nice video, except that there is one thing you didn't mention. If you have Desktop & Documents checked in iCloud and you lose internet access on your Mac, you cannot access any of your files. I have Comcast internet access and this happens a few times a year, sometimes for as long as a day or two. I fear that some folks have internet providers whose service goes down more often that this. So, is there any way to sync Desktop & Documents with a Mac so the files are in both the cloud and the Mac?

[@witammm8607]

Came here looking for the same answer. Have a directory on your local, keep synchronizing it as a backup in iCloud. The only one right way to do that, similar to synchronizing folders with gDrive automatically.

[@botch3936]

Perfect timing for this review, I'm just starting to set up my new Apple Studio as soon as a monitor gets here. Thanks!

[@immovableobjectify]

What is the experience like when you are not connected to the internet? Are your Desktop and Documents contents still available (ie only mirrored to the cloud, but still local)? If so, are changes then sync'd to the cloud once you are back online? And then how are conflicts resolved if they have been independently modified on separate devices sharing that iCloud account?

[@paulolson]

I have this same question. If a file exists only in iCloud then it must be inaccessible if there is no internet, right?

[@BillRiski]

I have same question. If I set up to use documents folder on iCloud, what happens when I’m without internet access?

[@mortenbrundk]

Yes it is synchronised. You can try it out yourselves by turning off your network connection and turn it on after you have done some modifications to your files.

[@immovableobjectify]

@@mortenbrundk Since more than one device can modify the file offline, what happens if different changes are made on each device? Does the most recently synced file to the cloud wipe out any separate changes made on a different device once it is synced, or does the 2nd device wipe the modified version on the cloud? Either way, data entered on one or the other of the devices would be lost. Or is the conflict detected and the data forked so that the user can view multiple versions, and manually edit or merge changes in order to resolve the conflict? You are right that this could be determined by experimentation, but is the intended behavior documented anywhere?

[@mannab2975]

Gary, been watching for long time! You are a genius!

[@sharonvetalice1370]

July 28th, 2022: Thank you, for making this simple to understand, this is exactly what I was wanting to understand and I got it watching your video one time. THANKS!

[@bigeram]

Hi Gary, great videos. If I move my desktop folder to ICloud, and then my Internet supplier has an internet outage ( which happens frequently ), I guess the files I had on my desktop would not be available... Correct?

[@hristokassovski]

Amazing explanation and video appreciated by a brand new Mac user.

[@dccampfin]

So helpful Gary. I'm going to show this at our Pi Afternoon Learners Meeting today!

[@JeffHaas-haasman]

Yes, thank you for patient voice of clarity. One question- how does one handle say Dropbox? I presume one moves its file contents to the iCloud Desktop and Folders?

[@macmost]

Not sure what you are asking. Dropbox is a separate cloud system. It would be like iCloud Drive, but there would be a Dropbox folder instead. Not sure why you are saying "moves its file contents to the iCloud Desktop and Folders" -- what are you trying to do by that?

[@jamesr767]

Gary, this completely answered all my questions about cloud storage! Thank You again!

[@heatherwatson411]

Just like that! You are better than my morning coffee!! Thanks so much!

[@Ale7it]

Thank you for the video. What happens if I deactivate iCloud Drive? Do things stay on the Mac or are they deleted from the Mac? Thank you.

[@macmost]

For Desktop & Documents, you are asked. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6bThHqXrL6Se7c And for other files, you lose access to them on your Mac, so if you have left anything behind in other iCloud Drive folders then you'd need to turn iCloud Drive back on to get to them, or use iCloud.com to get to them.

[@davidis7]

Hi Gary- great video! Question, I notice that folders on iCloud Drive do not have file sizes associated with them, 2:33 fore example. Is there a way to show the total total file size including the subdirectories? Also, is there a way to display the file path to the right of each file or folder (like with a PC). I know you can look up file locations, but is there a way to just always have them displayed in a column within finder?

[@macmost]

Lots of ways. Select the folder, use File, Get Info. Or set your Finder view options to calculate folder sizes. Quick Look a folder too. I can't think of a way to have the paths displayed in a column. It would be the same value anyway, since the column represents a single location.

[@williamcharles4008]

Thank you, I've been using iCloud for years and I didn't realise I could also keep local copies. I think it's confusing though and apple could simplify things

[@QUICKSILVER369]

Wonderful presentation, as usual! I've recently been using iCloud for all my storage, especially of new documents. I was concerned about doing this, but it really helps over time. In order to reorganize and clean-up 30 years of storage on this Macbook, do I open my outside Time Machine back-ups stored on LaCie & Passport, access the iCloud and the data stored on my computer in order to clear out duplicate files and reorganize them?

[@macmost]

I'm not sure what you are asking here. Your last sentence is confusing.

[@digitaldeetz]

You are an excellent instructor. Thank you! I consider you one of my mentors. 🤩

[@StephaniePhilp]

Thanks so much Gary, this video cleared up a lot of confusion for me.

[@jovande7352]

Hello Gary; you have the ability to make the complicated more comprehensible; what brilliance! I will use iCloud with confidence because I now understand it. And incidentally, having watched many of your video's, I have mastered Mac's "Pages" (love it) and will never go back to another word processor. THANK YOU 😶🌻

[@hmaustips9742]

Thank you. I was just debating turning this on. Question - what does TimeMachine backup then? Just the apps and the structure?

[@NiceAussie]

I’d like to know that too! Time Machine has always been a mystery to me.

[@cocosgeta]

Thanks! I finally understand the relationship icloud desktop.

[@meeluanistyn1644]

This is a feature of my Mac that took me time to understand when it’s actually quite simple. I use iCloud Drive as my default storage location. As for my desktop, I have two folders for various files I want to find quickly e.g. photos for eBay adverts. Other than that it’s empty.

[@mikes3801]

Great video. What if you are at a place with no internet connection, will you still able to access the Desktop and Document folders if they are stored into the iCloud Drive?

[@macmost]

With "Optimize" off, yes, as everything would be cached locally. With "Optimize" on, then recently-accessed files will be there, and files you chose to download (Control+click, Download Now).

[@callmeNeno]

You have made me a Mac enthusiast! Best explanation & clarification I have seen. Gracias señor

[@ChrisQuito]

You are excellent! Thank you! maybe do you know how I can include the Downloads folder, thanks. And also if i have OneDrive how can I add those folders to that location. Thank you

[@macmost]

You can create a different Downloads folder, named anything you want, in iCloud Drive and use that. Though typically a "Downloads" folder is a temporary holding place for new documents you download and then you move them to their proper place.

[@ChrisQuito]

@@macmost Thank you Gary for your quick answer. Maybe do you have some video or you can do it, for learning how manage Photos on Mac if I use OneDrive and I have it with folders?. Thank you

[@macmost]

@@ChrisQuito No, I have nothing like that. That's not something I would recommend doing. If you want your photos on a cloud service, just put them in the iCloud Photos Library.

[@ChrisQuito]

@@macmost Its because I paid OneDrive with 1TB of storage and All my photos are in there. Thank you

[@joshuahowitt9943]

Great tutorial vids. I'm trying to sleuth a specific problem, but as a I click and watch, I'm learning all sorts of other things along the way. Some are simple that I'd never known. For instance: Command-click the header in Finder to see it's hierarchal location... Mind blown! Others are about strategies / choices that hadn't occurred to me. Thank you! Subscribed!

[@starryeyeddu]

Thanks for the clear instructions and explanation! How would this work in case of having multiple macs? If the Desktop and Documents folders are turned on in iCloud drive - Would that lead to having multiple folders or would it be labelled according to the computer

[@macmost]

You turn this on for each Mac. iCloud Drive Documents would be shared by all. By local Documents would be just for that one Mac.

[@paganguy77]

It's amazing that I have used a mac for more years than I can count, & just now fully comprehend all this. I've used iCloud since day one. When I digitized all my photos, I put them directly in iPhotos (what it was called in those days), never physically on my Mac. I just didn't know better. I'm now wondering if I can make an external backup of all those photos that are now in Apple Photos?

[@bartkuk1]

Hey Gary, this is fantastic and just to be 100% sure, if something bad happens to the iCloud storage, will all my files saved to the documents folder on iCloud be lost or will they be available from the Mac hard drive?? cheers

[@macmost]

If you have "Optimized" turned off, then they are all available on your drive. And being available on your drive means they are also backed up in your Time Machine backup too.

[@nickt2159]

Another good one Gary. Quick question do have a video on finding duplicate files on a Mac? Also if you have a video on that as well. Not just excel files, but word, excel, .pdf, tax returns, etc.

[@macmost]

Search for large files, sort by file size, duplicates should be together and have the same name and exact same size. Then carefully decide what to do about each pair.

[@madeleinetasker5856]

Thanks for that very helpful video. I am just a bit confused about how to move folders that I seem to have inadvertently created in iCloud Drive back to my local drive. I dont want to delete them because my understand is that iff I delete from iCloud Drive, they will delete also from my device - so how do I move them back to the local drive without removing them altogether please! thanks so much,

[@macmost]

Moving files and folders from iCloud Drive to your local drive is different than deleting files and folders. Moving vs. deleting. Two different things. If you want something removed from iCloud Drive and put on your local drive for just that one Mac, then move it. If you it makes you feel more comfortable, copy the files or folders to your local drive first, then delete the old files and folders on iCloud Drive second.

[@idlersdream826]

When I first tried that setting a few years ago, I panicked when the documents folder just disappeared as it was moved to iCloud Drive 😳. I think it would be better if it was replaced by an alias so the structure stayed the same, but the files store in iCloud. I also feel Documents & Desktop should be separate options, not all or nothing, although a way around that is to just move the Documents folder yourself & then create an alias 🤷‍♂️.

[@stephenschulte3996]

I totally agree with what you've said. I have a very organized hierarchical structure to my Mac (and have had that since my Mac SE in 1989…) Under my HOME folder I have my "Steve-Main" folder which is 141 gb in size. In that I have 12 sub-folders (Steve-1, Steve-2, Steve-3 and 9 others-- thinks like Printers, Family, Macs, iOS etc.) Each sub-folder has from 4 to 18 sub-sub-folders (if I may express it that way) - for example Steve-1 has a Financial folder which has 8 sub-folders including Banks, Balance Sheets, Retirement etc. Banks includes my 8 financial institutes that I use (not all are strictly "banks") and then more sub-folders. Generally I don't go deeper than 10 sub folders. AND all this is intuitive. To access the key 50 gb of folders I use SugarSync - like having my Mac on my iPhone or iPad!! (I could store everything but only 40-50 gb are really "key" information to have all the time). Of course using "Image2icon" all my folders have artwork! A real joy to go to my Mac these last 34 years! Just upgraded to Big Sur -- I don't rush into new macOS's!! Steve on Tuesday 1 August 2023.

[@idlersdream826]

@@stephenschulte3996 yes, I’m similarly organised over many years and like you I don’t rush into macOS upgrades, although I am currently on Monterey as that came with my new MacBook Air last year 👍.

[@explorinwithlaurin]

Great Explanation!! Thank you for sharing this!

[@rf9663]

Many thanks for this video, incredibly clear.

[@SarahJonestoo]

Brilliant! Thank you. This is just what I needed.

[@ballisticsquirrel3108]

thankyou this helped so much ive been having this problem for days

[@robertberkovitz1306]

Hello! Great video! If photos folder are in the home folder and not on iCloud are they still in iCloud somehow? You mention folders in Home are only on the Mac so the pictures folder in the Home folder is a bit confusing to me.

[@macmost]

Photos are a separate iCloud, not part of iCloud Drive. Photos have "iCloud Photos" and you turn that on in the Photos app, Settings. Works in a similar way, but separate from iCloud Drive which is for files.

[@Michel-xq4xe]

Still not possible to have the Documents folder on an external drive? Great video, thanks a lot.

[@macmost]

You can, but I would strongly recommend against it. Mac internal drives are so much faster. It would be like getting a sports car and driving around with a trailer attached to the back.

[@artysanmobile]

I find the iCloud drive top level a great place to share files across my devices. I don’t leave anything there so the top level is ideal for me. I also use Desktop & Documents in iCloud, very happy with that common functionality. It’s good Apple. With my many devices, I’d be lost without iCloud. It does what I would do if I were perfect, no matter how imperfect I am.

[@toma1610]

Even when I don‘t use that, it is good to understand those mechanisms, we don‘t know when we are going to need it.

[@ZeeshanQayum]

Thank you for your detailed vdo on docs and folders, one thing i want to know that besides having docs and desk top backed up on icloud is there any way that all of our apps installed on mac gets backed up as other docs does and in case we switch to another mac same apps apears on my new mac as they were in my old, just like we have this feature in iphone. or may be its there and i dont know.

[@macmost]

No, apps aren't stored in the cloud. No need to. Anything you get from the App Store you can just download to another Mac when it is time. Migration Assistant will do that for you.

[@allenschneider1847]

If you don't "optimize" my understanding is that a copy of your documents are also kept on the computer hard drive. If the documents folder is moved to icloud drive, in which folder on your hard drive are they stored? I have the same question about the photos library. If it is moved to icloud, but the "keep a copy on this computer" option is selected, where on the hard drive does it keep a copy?

[@macmost]

If you don't Optimize, then a copy is ALWAYS kept local. It is cached local at all time. If you Optimize, then it is cached locally when space is available, with recent documents a priority. You'll see the files in your iCloud Document folder. That's where they are stored. You'll see your Photos in the Photos App Library.

[@allenschneider1847]

@@macmost I thought a copy of the documents would be kept on the HD; I didn't know it would be kept in the cache memory. Does this effect the performance negatively in any way?

[@macmost]

@@allenschneider1847 It is cached on your drive (not memory). It has nothing to do with performance. Check out this video, maybe it will help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@livingcolorado66]

Thank you for your video! I did as you explained. The two folders are still there and when I delete them they return. UUGG!!

[@macmost]

Where is "there" in your comment? In your Home folder, or in iCloud Drive? If you mean iCloud Drive, keep in mind that other devices may be using iCloud Drive so just turning off Desktop & Documents on your Mac won't delete those folders from iCloud Drive, it will just mean that your default Desktop and Documents folders for that Mac are in your Home folder, not the ones in iCloud Drive.

[@allenschneider1847]

If you move the documents/desktop folder from two (or 3) smacks to icloud drive, will you have a documents folder for each computer in icloud drive or will they all go into one documents folder?

[@macmost]

If you turn on Desktop & Documents in iCloud on three Macs, it will merge the contents of all three into one Documents folder that all your Macs will share via iCloud.

[@artysanmobile]

iCloud Drive has saved me tons of time. I can’t even imagine living without it. Time Machine remains an excellent way to keep up with the OS’s hundreds of thousands of files but, it is no longer part of my work flow. My documents are what matter. The OS can be replaced an unlimited number of times and I even recommend it. Unwanted caches get flushed, the system is de-fragged for those who still use spinners, and any mistakes one may have made trying apps out are gone for good. It’s just good housekeeping practice. It might also be helpful to some of your followers to know how iCloud folder works. At the top level of one’s User folder is a curious looking folder named ‘Mobile Documents’ which bizarrely shows no contents. But check the size! Mobile Documents contains your iCloud Folder’s actual data from you for your own good. It’s size will be very close to the size of your machine’s cloud ‘deposits’. It doesn’t mirror one’s entire iCloud account if you’re using multiple devices. Don’t ever mess with it. With every change to the iCloud Folder, Mobile Documents updates immediately and syncs to your cloud. The iCloud Folder in truth is just an alias, a proxy with an embedded script that does all the work of building, maintaining, and displaying your machine’s cloud data, safely hidden from the majority of users.

[@Knollight]

Wow! Very good info and well presented

[@allenschneider1847]

What is the advantage of moving the documents and desktop folders to icloud drive instead of keeping them on the local computer and the creating a icloud documents folder for the things you want to share?

[@macmost]

Less complexity. You won't need to keep track of whether a file is in your iCloud Documents folder or one of three other local Documents folders. And there won't be a problem if you put it in the wrong place and have trouble finding it. If you just want some files to be local, why not put Desktop & Documents in iCloud, then create a "Local Documents" (or any name you want) folder on any Mac in your user folder for local files. Less confusing.

[@DesignWithJo]

This was helpful thank you! Can you tell me if I can move my iMovie library of videos to the iCloud and if I can, how I go about doing that? thanks

[@macmost]

No, iMovie usually stores libraries locally because they are huge files (video clips) that need fast access. Also because iMovie Mac and iMovie iOS are very different apps. What is your goal? What are you trying to do by moving your iMovie library to iCloud?

[@DesignWithJo]

@@macmost thanks for your quick reply - just trying to get space back on my MacBook - guess it needs to be an external hard drive then?

[@macmost]

@@DesignWithJo You didn't mention that in your original comment. It is always better to ask what you really need when asking a tech question. If you are low on space with your internal drive, I would suggest breaking up your iMovie projects in the future into one library = one project. That way you can move the whole iMovie Library as one file very easily and tell what is contained inside by the name you give it. Then when you are done with a library/project you archive it to an external drive by moving it there. This way you can have the speed of your internal drive while working on the project. An external drive may be too slow to actually use while working on it.

[@DesignWithJo]

@@macmost thank you

[@christiangaraud7987]

Hello Gary, Great Presentation I have 3 MacBooks with a Desktop and Documents on each one. If I turn on Desktop and Documents are the folders merged from the different MacBooks or I would have 3x different Desktop and Document in iCloud drive? Thank you

[@macmost]

They should merge.

[@atlanticx100]

Hi, one thing I do use is naming a folder name.nosync then it will not sync to the cloud. Thanks for the great vid.

[@macmost]

Not a fan of that. I prefer to put things I don't want in iCloud in my Home folder. Less confusing and less chance that it will change in the future.

[@atlanticx100]

@@macmost I understand your point there. I use iCloud to sync my desktop and use a temp folder on my desktop for temporary files that do not need syncing. But yes it can make things more confusing for new users and experienced alike.

[@221b-Maker-Street]

Great advice as always, Gary. Thanks so much! 🤗

[@RichardMoreno24]

Gary will iCloud Drive take a way any of my internal hard drive storage?

[@EricOberson-jv8qs]

Hello. Thanks a lot for this very good explanation about iCloud Drive. Do you know how to configure to have some sub-folders available both in iCloud as well as in the local HD (in order to work offline without internet) ?

[@macmost]

See kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@GKonstS]

Thanks for the great explanation. I wonder if actual syncing is possible with iCloud drive? I want to put a copy of my local folder to iCloud drive and while working in my local folder (creating new files, modifying existing files) I want the iCloud copy of that folder to get automatically updated with the changes I make. Is that at all possible?

[@macmost]

That's exactly what iCloud Drive is. But you are saying two opposite things: "local folder" and "iCloud Drive" are opposites here. Just put what you ant in a folder in iCloud Drive and then everything in that folder can be accessed from all of your Apple devices. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@e8dazawk61]

thank you for the abundant information....... Can you just tell me how to move a folder from ICLOUD DOCUMENT FOLDER IS IN I CLOUD AND I DONT WANT IT THERE

[@macmost]

Move it where? To another folder in iCloud Drive? Or to a folder in your Home folder? Or to somewhere else, like an external? Is it a folder you created, or are you talking about a folder created by an app you installed?

[@robertpeterson7929]

Gary, can I have icloud desktop and docs on on my powerbook and off on my desktop? Or does it turn it on globally?

[@hyperactivists9390]

great videos very clear and concise

[@StonedNoob]

On my computer, I don't see any "Archive" or "Time Machine". Does one need to set those up? I am new to Mac so I am binging through your videos lol I don't even know what Time Machine and Archives are, but hopefully you have a video on it somewhere. Thanks!

[@macmost]

Those are the names of my external drives. If you connect external drives, you would see them there, with the names you choose. It is important than you start to back up with Time Machine, yes. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKHTk5l6epaIhdU

[@StonedNoob]

@@macmost Thanks a lot!!

[@itsjla8014]

Hi, Thank you for this informative video. I was wondering if you would recommend doing something like this for the Applications folder if I wanted to sync my settings and preferences of apps across multiple Macs? Or perhaps there’s something else better you can recommend, I’d greatly appreciate it! 😊

[@macmost]

No, that wouldn't work and would be a bad idea since many apps are large. But preferences aren't stored IN the app itself. They are deep in your Library folder in a variety of formats and locations, depending on the app. There's no good way to sync app preferences unless the app developer has provided a system for that.

[@itsJLa]

@@macmost Gotcha. I wasn't expecting to get a reply considering the popularity of your channel, so thank you so much for answering. As for my predicament, I really wished Apple would somehow implement this process. Since most people who use an Apple device typically own an ecosystem of Apple products, and setting up your preferences for every single device is such a hassle.

[@ivanwill]

Thanks for sharing this. I have always been nervous about using these folders via iCloud. Now, the real question is this: If you have two MacBook's, and both have that setting on to have the data in iCloud, does it sort of 'merge' the data?

[@macmost]

Yes. They are the "same" location. Add a file with one Mac and you see it on the other. Change a file on one Mac and you see the change in both locations. This is probably the top feature of iCloud Drive or any cloud system.

[@richard1113]

I love the analogy about buying a luxury car and not taking it on the highway. iCloud is totally worth the few dollars a month. The only thing I found a little confusing here is the folder called "Local Documents". Is this literally a local folder you created called "Local Documents"? Perhaps in a previous generation of iCloud I remember there being a folder called this and it confused the heck out of me.

[@macmost]

Yes, I created it. You can call it "My Local Stuff" or "Stuff" or "Files" or whatever you want. I prefer Local Documents so it is clear to me what it is for.

[@voyagerman22]

Great video, thanks. If I use desktop and documents folder in iCloud, does that mean all files within are in cloud only and not locally on my iMac? Wouldn’t that mean they are not accessible unless I have an internet connection, correct?

[@macmost]

It works just like the rest of iCloud Drive. You have access to your files on your Mac, of course. If you have OPTIMIZE turned OFF, then all files are always cached locally too. If you have it turned ON then only recent files are cached, depending on space. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@voyagerman22]

@@macmost thank, the link was very helpful. Quick follow-up, when you have optimize turned on, will all of your desktop and document files start uploading immediately or only when you open the file? And vice versa, if you turn optimize off, will all of your iCloud files automatically be downloaded back to your Mac? Your videos really have been invaluable to my understanding. I think I’m ready to start using iCloud. My concern was not having access to files without internet connection, but that is probably a relatively rare situation. Thank you.

[@macmost]

@@voyagerman22 "Optimize" affects what is downloaded. Everything is always uploaded and "Optimize" doesn't change that.

[@BlueRibbonBaking]

Thanks so much for your quick feedback!! Optimized was off. The problem might be that the computer is still syncing. My documents folder is 113 GB. My hard drive is 2TB (with 1.07 TB available, 32 GB of memory, Apple M2 pro, Sonoma 14.2.1. Opening documents, searching, or modifying documents became exceedingly slow after I turned on syncing. I am not able to modify Adobe documents except by waiting literally minutes for each change. What I want is to make use of the syncing feature, but continue to access my documents on the local drive instead of through iCloud first.

[@macmost]

That's exactly what having "optimize" turned off does. Everything is always available locally then. Opening a file should be instant.

[@jonathantomas9237]

Hi Garry, I have been watching your videos since I got a Mac and you have been very helpfull. I just want to ask if it is possible to not use the desktop sync feature but still use the document sync feature on. I was just thinking maybe I can use either dektop or documents only.

[@macmost]

No. It is both or neither. But you can still work with that. You can, for instance, turn off Desktop and Documents and then simply use iCloud Drive/Documents as your main Documents folder. The only problem would be the keyboard shortcuts and Go menu wouldn't point to the right place. But you can put it in the Finder Sidebar, Favorites.

[@jonathantomas9237]

@@macmost thank you so much for that idea!!! god bless!!

[@NiceAussie]

Thoroughly enjoyable! Love your work!

[@RonLego]

Always informative and educational. I have a question about the "iCloud Archive" file that shows up when I analyze my internal hard drive. I am not using iCloud for my Desktop and Documents but for other files/folders that I don't need fast access to but want available (on my main MBPro and other Macs iii the household). What is the function of this "archive"? I seems to take up a lot of space on my MBPro. Can it be deleted? Thank you for all the great videos. Go Dragons!

[@macmost]

It sure what you are referring to. What is it called, exactly, and how exactly did you “analyze” your drive?

[@RonLego]

@@macmost Sorry for the lack of precision and terminology. I'm using Disk Space Analyzer Pro and it shows my home directory is using 703GB; of that 193GB is listed as a "iCloud Drive" folder. This folder is contained in the "Mobile Documents" folder in "Library". It represents one third of my usage. Can delete it? Or otherwise clean it?

[@macmost]

@@RonLego That's your iCloud Drive files. If you delete it, you will lose everything in there. I don't know "Disk Space Analyzer Pro" but definitely don't mess around with this unless you know what you are doing. I'd hate for you to lose important files.

[@RandallLeeReetz]

Gary, first thanks for the amazing resource you are and provide!!!! I can't find an explanation of the difference between iCloud and iCloud Drive? I understand that iCloud Drive offers document storage and syncing on the cloud, but it would seem that iCloud all by itself also offers lots of synced storage of data associated with apple's standard apps (notes, mail, contacts, passwords, etc). So what gives? Please explain. Thank you. Randall Lee Reetz

[@macmost]

"iCloud" is a collection of cloud services offered by Apple. It includes a lot of things. iCloud Drive is the part of iCloud that deals with files.

[@sharadchauhan3198]

same here.... i cloud drive n desktop .... thx much for clarifying it so clearly....

[@pa3cos885]

Hi, great explanation, thanks. When you use 2 or 3 macs some apps put specific folders in your docsfolder which are often the same for the different macs. Can you make a shared documents file that all macs will use? Will all your macs use the same desktop and documentsfolder? Because I see different folders, one desktopfolder and one documentsfolder for each mac. So I see 2 or 3 desktopfolders and 2 or 3 documentsfolders. How do I managed that the 2 or 3 macs uses the same folders? And what when I have 2 different macos in 1 laptop, like a partition with Catalina and a partition with Ventura? How they can use the same (shared) desktop and docsfolder?

[@macmost]

If all of your Macs use this feature, then all of your Macs will see the same Desktop and Documents folders, just like any other iCloud Drive folder. You would look in iCloud Drive for these folders. No longer look in your Home folder for them. Watch the video again as this is what it is about.

[@mustang774]

Very helpful video. Thanks so much for this.....Take care, Bluefin.

[@MaiKai_Makena_Property_Advisor]

Gary can do a video on the download folder for Files App like if we delete something there does it get deleted everywhere for me it is a little confusing thx BRO 🤙🤙🤙

[@macmost]

Do you mean the Downloads folder under iCloud in the Files app? Then yes, it would be the ONE Downloads folder you see in iCloud Drive on all of your devices. But that would be different than a Downloads folder NOT in iCloud.

[@MaiKai_Makena_Property_Advisor]

@@macmost like when you download something on iCloud files download and you delete it does it delete everywhere and if you move a download file does it move off of downloads to the new location. Maybe a video about the downloads folder and all things you know would be so helpful.

[@macmost]

@@MaiKai_Makena_Property_Advisor The Download folder in iCloud Drive is just like any other folder in iCloud Drive. iCloud Drive is ONE LOCATION. You see that one location on all of your devices. If you delete a file in iCloud Drive it deletes it in iCloud Drive and anywhere you are looking at iCloud Drive will show that the file is no longer there.

[@michaelmarrison6939]

Thanks Gary. I think I have either missed something or am being obtuse 🙂 Can you advise if there is a way to store files ONLY in my 2TB of iCloud space and not on my local drive? Thanks Michael

[@macmost]

No. What you are describing is "server storage" not cloud services. Not something regular people use, though businesses sometimes use that sort of thing. So what is your GOAL here? Is it simply to save space on your local drive? If so, use iCloud Drive with the "Optimize" feature turned on. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWitinuOZ86Hb7M

[@michaelmarrison6939]

@@macmost Many thanks for the swift response Gary. I recently moved from Dropbox to iCloud for my back-up storage. With DB it is possible to specify which files reside on which device (if any). I now understand from your reply that this exact service is not available with iCloud, but I have now activated the Optimise feature. Having watched your tutorial regarding MacBook comparisons, I am intending to order a MacBook Pro with at least 1TB of storage as opposed to my 2015 MB which only has 256 GB. As always, thanks for your knowledge and skills. Michael

[@michaelpowers5506]

Great video. I don’t save client documents on iCloud because of security. If I copy an apple email to documents folder in home and delete the email in apple mail, do I lose it in documents?

[@macmost]

What's your security concern with iCloud? Another part of "security" is making sure you don't lose your documents. So if you aren't using iCloud, how are you securing them in that way? Local drive and a local backup? Something as simple as a fire or power issue can take both of those out at the same time. Something to think about. As for your question, if you COPY an email to documents, then you have two copies. The one in your email account and the new file in your Documents folder. They are not connected. Deleting one doesn't affect the other. Just try it and see. Another thing to consider: Email is very insecure, if security is your concern with these documents.

[@michaelpowers5506]

@@macmost thank you Gary for the reply. I have to be HIPAA compliant. So I rotate two external hard drives and keep one at another location in the event of a fire. It’s a pain. I love iCloud for everything else but last I checked they do not guarantee that level of security. Love your videos!

[@chasecampan-thornburg1721]

Great video, Gary. I'm an Apple user, and I'm also paying for iCloud Drive, but iCloud drive has been rather confusing. For example, when I look at my Mac-level storage, it only shows my iCloud storage as one and the same. I wanted to put all the data on the cloud, in addition to my external drives, in order to be able to keep the Mac empty save for all the apps and settings. In my work, it's common to need to reformat my machine fairly regularly, so I don't want to store anything locally long term. How can I achieve this? Thanks!

[@macmost]

You can't manage it like that. iCloud Drive's cache is stored on your boot drive. You can't use an external drive to store the iCloud Drive cache of files.

[@guywinterflood4130]

Thanks Gary, can you shed some light on why my MacBook Pro hard drive free space is constantly going down? I think it has something to do with iCloud since the Cloudkit file is over 100 Gb and slowly growing even when I am not active on the laptop. I think this is a common problem but haven't been able to find any useful answers elsewhere.

[@rickeaglestone4955]

Gary I created a ICloud folder on my desktop. I now want to remove this folder, if I do will I delete them in ICloud as well? FYI I do have documents and desktop checked on ICloud. Thanks for your help…

[@macmost]

Any files or folders in iCloud Drive are shared by all of your devices. If you delete a file from iCloud Drive then the file is gone from iCloud Drive and you won't see it on any of your devices because they are all showing the same thing: the contents of your iCloud Drive.

[@steveyap1410]

Thank you, it’s so helpful ❤