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Lost Documents Folder after iCloud sync

S

scouser75

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 7, 2008
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Guys, I'm in a bit of a panic here as I've lost my Documents Folder from Finder after I tried to sync it with iCloud.

The process I followed was:

System Settings / Clicked on my name / iCloud / iCloud Drive / Desktop & Documents Folder.

I then changed my mind as it did not give me an option to select specific folders, so I unchecked the Desktop and Documents Folder option.

Now I've totally lost the documents folder on Finder. I urgently need this. How can I retrieve it please?
 

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive

Learn how to share your files from your Mac Desktop and your Documents folder to all of your devices with iCloud Drive.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

​

What happens when you 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.

I haven't used this option - but it suggests theere will be a new (empty) set of folders that you can (optionally) move things from iCloud Drive into.
 
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If you disabled Desktop & Documents but kept iCloud active, you should find your Documents folder on the iCloud Drive (click "iCloud" in Finder).

If you also disabled iCloud, you were asked if you want to keep copies of files on your iCloud Drive. If you responded "Yes", you will find an "iCloud Drive (Archive)" folder in your home folder. It will then contain your Desktop files.

If you responded "No" then you won't have a local copy of your Desktop files on this particular Mac, but the files should still be on iCloud if you re-enable it.
 
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Thanks guys. The reason why I turned off the iCloud sync option is because I don't have enough iCloud storage for all the documents I the Documents folder. I wanted to select only my work folder, but as iCloud sync didn't give me the option to select specific folders to sync, I turned it off, and this is why I'm in the pickle I am now.

What would happen if I stop the current sync by clicking the x - It's syncline 25gb, which will take some time ?

I'm quite certain I wasn't given the option to keep copies of files on iCloud Dive. And the documents folder in my Home folder is greyed out. And there is no iCloud Drive archive there either 😭
 
This is the message I got when I went to turn off iCloud sync

Screenshot 2023-08-13 at 12.46.25.png
 
Oh wait, there's also this, which looks a little more promising 🤞

Screenshot 2023-08-13 at 13.17.47.png
 
"Keep a Copy" should be the option that creates the "iCloud Drive (Archive)" folder in your home folder, but the fact that you had not done a full sync yet is a big questionmark.
 
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Puonti said:
"Keep a Copy" should be the option that creates the "iCloud Drive (Archive)" folder in your home folder, but the fact that you had not done a full sync yet is a big questionmark.
Click to expand...
And in all reality, a full sync isn't going to happen as I just do not have enough iCloud space. I have 5gb and I'm transferring 25gb.

What would happen if I clicked Keep a Copy? Would my Documents Folder and Desktop Folder go back into Finder?
 
Oddly, my desktop documents are still on my desktop. It's just the folder that's gone from Finder
 
scouser75 said:
Oddly, my desktop documents are still on my desktop. It's just the folder that's gone from Finder
Click to expand...
If Desktop is just gone from Finder's side panel you should be able to add it back. Open your home folder in Finder, then drag the Desktop folder into the side panel.
 
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Puonti said:
If Desktop is just gone from Finder's side panel you should be able to add it back. Open your home folder in Finder, then drag the Desktop folder into the side panel.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I just realise. Unfortunately both documents and desktop folders aren't in my home folder.

The desktop folder is in my icloud folder. The documents folder remains greyed out there.

Should I drag and drop the desktop folder from icloud into my normal Mac section of finder?or would that just be the icloud folder and not as it was in the mac storage?
 
I definitely sympathize with your situation here. One potential solution is also just to purchase the additional space you need on iCloud to permit you to complete the sync and then you can move everything back to your desktop once it’s done. You can get 50 GB for $0.99 for one month. Then cancel it.
 
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Puonti said:
If Desktop is just gone from Finder's side panel you should be able to add it back. Open your home folder in Finder, then drag the Desktop folder into the side panel.
Click to expand...
Sorry, I just realise. Unfortunately both documents and desktop folders aren't in my home folder.

The desktop folder is in my icloud folder. The documents folder remains greyed out there.

Should I drag and drop the desktop folder from icloud into my normal Mac section of finder?or would that just be the icloud folder and not as it was in the mac storage?

And I just done a trial - I opened a Word document from Recents, which was stored on my Mac, and it opened. Could that mean that the docs currently are on my Mac, and I just can't see them either on my Mac storage or iCloud storage of finder?
 
gwhizkids said:
I definitely sympathize with your situation here. One potential solution is also just to purchase the additional space you need on iCloud to permit you to complete the sync and then you can move everything back to your desktop once it’s done. You can get 50 GB for $0.99 for one month. Then cancel it.
Click to expand...
Good call on the storage.

I do also have a TM backup. Could I restore these 2 folders from there?
 
Right, I took. gamble and turned off iCloud sync and asked to keep copies on my Mac. This gave me the archive folder. Phew!

I've now copied and pasted all my documents back into the blank documents folder, and same for desktop too.

Now I can no longer use my iCloud Drive on Finder. I can't add documents or create folders in iCloud Drive.
 
I think I might have sussed
scouser75 said:
Right, I took. gamble and turned off iCloud sync and asked to keep copies on my Mac. This gave me the archive folder. Phew!

I've now copied and pasted all my documents back into the blank documents folder, and same for desktop too.

Now I can no longer use my iCloud Drive on Finder. I can't add documents or create folders in iCloud Drive.
Click to expand...
I think I might have sussed it... Do I need to keep iCloud Drive turned on to be able to drag and drop documents to iCloud Drive on the Mac? After what happened earlier, I don't want to sync my Mac documents and desktop though?

Screenshot 2023-08-13 at 15.56.57.png
Screenshot 2023-08-13 at 15.56.57.png
 
scouser75 said:
Right, I took. gamble and turned off iCloud sync and asked to keep copies on my Mac. This gave me the archive folder. Phew!

I've now copied and pasted all my documents back into the blank documents folder, and same for desktop too.

Now I can no longer use my iCloud Drive on Finder. I can't add documents or create folders in iCloud Drive.
Click to expand...
Apple’s icloud sync is constantly evolving and it’s “magic” is a pita when things goes wrong, after some unsolvable problems in the past with mobileme, icloud deive and photos in the cloud, I’ve opted to use it the less I can, what is just for Iphone backups
 
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scouser75 said:
Guys, I'm in a bit of a panic here as I've lost my Documents Folder from Finder after I tried to sync it with iCloud.

The process I followed was:

System Settings / Clicked on my name / iCloud / iCloud Drive / Desktop & Documents Folder.

I then changed my mind as it did not give me an option to select specific folders, so I unchecked the Desktop and Documents Folder option.

Now I've totally lost the documents folder on Finder. I urgently need this. How can I retrieve it please?
Click to expand...

This is one of the terrible and unfixed bugs of iCloud. I just dealt with this for a client / friend and there isn’t much you can do. If you turn it off and nothing happens:

1. Check the moved files folder. I forgot exactly where this is but there can be a folder in the user folder for moved files.

2. Log in to the iCloud website and try to do a restore.

3. Otherwise it’s probably gone and if you don’t have Time Machine, you’re probably out of luck.
 
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Guys, a quick post to say a MASSIVE thanks to all of you for your help today. I don't think I breathed throughout the time I was trying to fix this. And without your help I still would've been holding my breath.

Thank you :)
 
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PS my storage now shows I have 70gb of documents, but my Finder documents folder is only 25gb.

Could this be due to the 2 archive holders created earlier, which are 46gb (20gb short of of the 75gb showing)? If so, can these archive folders now be deleted?
 
cocoua said:
Apple’s icloud sync is constantly evolving and it’s “magic” is a pita when things goes wrong, after some unsolvable problems in the past with mobileme, icloud deive and photos in the cloud, I’ve opted to use it the less I can, what is just for Iphone backups
Click to expand...
I think I'm going to steer clear from icloud to store my documents. Today's been a massive panic. I swear it's aged me by a decade. And all the head scratching has created a bald patch on me head.
MacProFCP said:
This is one of the terrible and unfixed bugs of iCloud. I just dealt with this for a client / friend and there isn’t much you can do. If you turn it off and nothing happens:

1. Check the moved files folder. I forgot exactly where this is but there can be a folder in the user folder for moved files.

2. Log in to the iCloud website and try to do a restore.

3. Otherwise it’s probably gone and if you don’t have Time Machine, you’re probably out of luck.
Click to expand...
In the end, out of sheer frustration I had to take a risk and I turned off icloud drive. Thankfully, that created an archive folder as you guys detailed above. I then moved the docs back to the safety on the mac itself.
gwhizkids said:
Yes you should be able to do that.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'm going to suss this out after I get back from a much needed break 😁
 
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