iCloud iCloud Drive: Desktop & Documents Folder Options

[GeorgeCat]

I understand that activating iCloud Drive "Desktop & Documents Folder" will copy all files in those Mac folders to the iCloud drive and that they no longer are physically in the original locations on the Mac, but I have several areas of confusion that I hope can be cleared up, mostly regarding how the files are then handled on the Mac:

1. I've been using iCloud Photos with the option to keep original photos on my Mac. That way, I can sync photos with iPhones and iPads, but keep all original photos on the Mac without needing access to an internet connection. Is there an equivalent way to do this with iCloud Drive's "Desktop & Documents Folder" (i.e., sync files in Desktop and Documents folder with iCloud Drive so that they can be accessed by other Apple devices, but still keep ALL files on that Mac so that they're still accessible offline when there's no internet connection)? Does keeping the box "Optimize Mac Storage" unchecked accomplish that?

If the answer to #1 is yes, and I can keep all files that originally were in Desktop and Documents folders

2. Where are the local files kept on the Mac? I use Carbon Copy Cloner as one means for backing up and would like to know where to look in the folder system for these files if I ever have to.

3. Does Time Machine still automatically back up those files that otherwise would have been Desktop and Documents folders or would I need to change something?

4. Does Arq cloud backup still automatically back up those files?

If I buy a second Mac...

5. When I activate iCloud Drive "Desktop & Documents Folder" on the second Mac using my iCloud account, but keep "Optimize Mac Storage" unchecked, will all the files in those folders automatically download to the new Mac from iCloud Drive?

If it makes a difference, my Mac is on Mojave because I still use 32 bit programs.

Thanks.

 

[mikzn]

I have a similar set up and use photos to manage 3 libraries ( Personal, Hiking, Work photos) and use CCC to back each library weekly - no iCloud storage - they are too important to me to loose on a bad iCloud sync.

1) I once turned "Desktop and Documents" on by mistake and quickly turned it off and it wiped my MBP for both folders (both were empty) and I lost a large amount of documents in the documents folder - luckily I was able to restore from a CCC back up done the day before - now I leave this option "Desktop and Documents" off - and create manual folders on iCloud drive and they sync to my iOS devices - it works great this way for me

3) Not Sure about the Time machine - don't use it - CCC does everything and don't need 2 different back up systems.

5) My understanding is iCloud will keep 2 separate desktops (one for each MBP ?) but I am not certain - because I use manual folders and turn off the "Desktop and Documents" on both MBP's - 2 MBP's - one on Big Sur and one on Mojave and folders sync fine so that for example "Workspace" folder has all my work documents and sub folders available on both MBP's and also to iOS (Ipad Pro and iPhone)

hope that helps a bit - I am sure someone else will chime with more options and answers to where the fles are located locally - I suspect they are in a "hidden folder" in the "user Library"

 

[GeorgeCat]

I have a similar set up and use photos to manage 3 libraries ( Personal, Hiking, Work photos) and use CCC to back each library weekly - no iCloud storage - they are too important to me to loose on a bad iCloud sync.

1) I once turned "Desktop and Documents" on by mistake and quickly turned it off and it wiped my MBP for both folders (both were empty) and I lost a large amount of documents in the documents folder - luckily I was able to restore from a CCC back up done the day before - now I leave this option "Desktop and Documents" off - and create manual folders on iCloud drive and they sync to my iOS devices - it works great this way for me

3) Not Sure about the Time machine - don't use it - CCC does everything and don't need 2 different back up systems.

5) My understanding is iCloud will keep 2 separate desktops (one for each MBP ?) but I am not certain - because I use manual folders and turn off the "Desktop and Documents" on both MBP's - 2 MBP's - one on Big Sur and one on Mojave and folders sync fine so that for example "Workspace" folder has all my work documents and sub folders available on both MBP's and also to iOS (Ipad Pro and iPhone)

hope that helps a bit - I am sure someone else will chime with more options and answers to where the fles are located locally - I suspect they are in a "hidden folder" in the "user Library"

Thanks. I also once turned on “Desktops and Documents” briefly and turned it off (I was also able to copy the files back to the MacBook to their original locations). But I now infer from the fact that documents can still be opened offline (so long as “Optimize Mac Storage” is not enabled?) that copies are kept somewhere locally? Hoping to hear from others, as the information on Apple’s support pages and elsewhere are ambiguous.

 

[GeorgeCat]

Is there no one that can offer more on at least questions 1 and 5? Thanks.

 

[Marty_Macfly]

I have a similar set up and use photos to manage 3 libraries ( Personal, Hiking, Work photos) and use CCC to back each library weekly - no iCloud storage - they are too important to me to loose on a bad iCloud sync.

1) I once turned "Desktop and Documents" on by mistake and quickly turned it off and it wiped my MBP for both folders (both were empty) and I lost a large amount of documents in the documents folder - luckily I was able to restore from a CCC back up done the day before - now I leave this option "Desktop and Documents" off - and create manual folders on iCloud drive and they sync to my iOS devices - it works great this way for me

3) Not Sure about the Time machine - don't use it - CCC does everything and don't need 2 different back up systems.

5) My understanding is iCloud will keep 2 separate desktops (one for each MBP ?) but I am not certain - because I use manual folders and turn off the "Desktop and Documents" on both MBP's - 2 MBP's - one on Big Sur and one on Mojave and folders sync fine so that for example "Workspace" folder has all my work documents and sub folders available on both MBP's and also to iOS (Ipad Pro and iPhone)

hope that helps a bit - I am sure someone else will chime with more options and answers to where the fles are located locally - I suspect they are in a "hidden folder" in the "user Library"

Hi Mikzn,

Great sharing of knowledge, thanks

I'm a Mac newbie, and trying to get my head around how best to use the iCloud for online backups etc. I've posted quite a bit on this forum during this festive break. Getting there.



From your point (1)
- Have I got it right, that you are actively using manually created iCloud folders for your live workflow files?
- What has your experience been like using the iCloud in this way?



2 specific questions on worse case scenarios:

Q1) When no internet access - Has there been problems with access to the iCloud files? Or are the files actually on the local drive, just "Hidden" away?

Q2) Edits to files, when off the internet - Has there been problems with the edits uploading onto the iCloud later etc?





Hope you can advise

Regards
Martin

 

[mikzn]

From your point (1) - Have I got it right, that you are actively using manually created iCloud folders for your live workflow files?
What has your experience been like using the iCloud in this way?

Yes - I have added folders and sub folders just like any external drive and keep my current active files in those folders - once I am finished working on a file / folder / project - I move that to my local drive and it gets included with my regular CCC back ups - I have never lost a file or had a bad sync yet - knock on wood - and have been using iCloud this way for years.

Some apps like Keynote - generate their own folders and I let those stay in the app folders and again remove when complete - I have some very large Keynote files / presentations that just perpetually roll over and are modified / updated often ( weekly) those I occasional make a back copy (just in case)

Q1) When no internet access - Has there been problems with access to the iCloud files? Or are the files actually on the local drive, just "Hidden" away?

Very rare that I don't have internet connection - and I have my phone with me all the time and can tether / connect to the internet with the iPhone for connection my MBP and iPad Pro - usually the most current files are on my MBP and can be accessed without internet

Q2) Edits to files, when off the internet - Has there been problems with the edits uploading onto the iCloud later etc?

Sometimes when traveling - Airplane etc - I have worked on files and usually all is well once the internet reconnects - I have had a few occasions where there multiple versions and I received a warning to choose between the 2 conflicting versions - but that has been very rare in my case.

The only issue I had was my own fault turning on the "Documents and Desktop" and then turning it off right away as mentioned above.

hope that helps