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fef57

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 11, 2018
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When I save a document to documents, where is it being stored? I have searched all over my MacBook and I cannot find my files anywhere. The only place they appear is when I click on documents in finder. I am suspicious that apple is automatically saving all of my files to the cloud somewhere (without my knowledge or consent). Can anyone confirm? If so, how do I stop it so my files are ONLY on my mac locally and on my backup?
 
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If you know the file name, press button and space button, then search the file around all Mac. If Mac stores your documents on the iCloud, the Finder title of Documents folder should be Documents - iCloud. You can setting this option under System Preferences window. Check out this.

Edit: The topic in the wrong forum, it should be in macOS. There is iOS forum.
 
Default location for the documents folder should be - Users < User Folder < Documents

if you don't want to store files from the desk top or the documents folder on iCloud - go to System Preferences < iCloud Drive < Options... and uncheck Desktop and Documents Folders

I find it useful to go to the finder menu < View and select "Show Path Bar" to see the path of a file always in the bottom of the finder window - easy way to know where the file is being stored.
 
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I can find all of my files on finder . . . I just noticed that under iCloud there are three folders iCloud Drive, Desktop and Documents. I don't want my desktop or documents stored in the cloud. How do I stop this? And make Documents store on my computer? Why would anyone want their documents stored in the cloud automatically? This is insane and enough to make me give up on Apple.
[doublepost=1520806274][/doublepost]
Default location for the documents folder should be - Users < User Folder < Documents

if you don't want to store files from the desk top or the documents folder on iCloud - go to System Preferences < iCloud Drive < Options... and uncheck Desktop and Documents Folders
Thank you
[doublepost=1520806462][/doublepost]When I go to uncheck that option on iCloud it gives me a message that all of my documents and desktop information will be removed from my computer!!!, but remain on iCloud!!! WTF!!! Has Apple lost their mind. I just want my documents on my computer and not in the cloud.
 
When I go to uncheck that option on iCloud it gives me a message that all of my documents and desktop information will be removed from my computer!!!, but remain on iCloud!!! WTF!!! Has Apple lost their mind. I just want my documents on my computer and not in the cloud.

yeah that seems like the wrong way around, you might want to back up the documents folder first (and desktop).

Also outlook stores all the outlook data in the documents folder so if you use outlook make sure you back that up.

I would try turning off the internet and then uncheck the Desktop and Documents Folders (back up first)
 
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When I go to uncheck that option on iCloud it gives me a message that all of my documents and desktop information will be removed from my computer!!!, but remain on iCloud!!! WTF!!! Has Apple lost their mind. I just want my documents on my computer and not in the cloud.

This is a toggle that you agreed to when you first set up Sierra. I think it was Sierra anyways, might've been High Sierra. "Store Documents and Desktop in iCloud" is an option. You said yes to it.
As to why anybody wants it, I personally do want it and have it turned on. Anything I put on the desktop or in the Documents folder, is easily accessible across all my Macs and iOS devices without thinking about it. Quite nice really.

I can find all of my files on finder . . . I just noticed that under iCloud there are three folders iCloud Drive, Desktop and Documents. I don't want my desktop or documents stored in the cloud. How do I stop this? And make Documents store on my computer? Why would anyone want their documents stored in the cloud automatically? This is insane and enough to make me give up on Apple.

That's to protect the data accessibility on other devices. Right now your data is hooked up to iCloud. If you switch that toggle, it switches it off for that computer, but if other devices want that feature on, they shouldn't lose access to the data - it's logical and intended behaviour. Flip the switch and then navigate to iCloud Drive in Finder, and just manually move the data from Documents and Desktop (iCloud), to your now empty Documents and Desktop (local)
 
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That's to protect the data accessibility on other devices. Right now your data is hooked up to iCloud. If you switch that toggle, it switches it off for that computer, but if other devices want that feature on, they shouldn't lose access to the data - it's logical and intended behaviour. Flip the switch and then navigate to iCloud Drive in Finder, and just manually move the data from Documents and Desktop (iCloud), to your now empty Documents and Desktop (local)

Good points :) - makes sense - however I would recommend a back up just to be sure before turning off the "Desktop and Documents Folders"

I believe that it was introduced with Yosemite? I use iCloud drive and it works great - I just don't use it for the "Documents Folder and the Desktop Folder - mainly because I have 10 years of outlook data - email history in the < Microsoft User Data folder. Also I don't use icloud for media files like video and photos which are 350 g of storage in my case - not worth storing on the cloud.
 
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...Why would anyone want their documents stored in the cloud automatically? This is insane and enough to make me give up on Apple.

Why is it "insane" how else would you share the same documents etc across devices if you want to?

As others have said, easy enough to undo the choice you (maybe inadvertently) made. Apple gives you the choice but Apple can't make you make the right choice (for you).
 
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Confused by the insane part. Why wouldn’t I want my files accessible on all my devices? Either disable it (as mentioned) or store your sensitive data in a different folder.
 
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I would like to remove one large folder from my iCloud drive and store it locally on my iMac, but still have access to my all the other folders in iCloud drive. How do/ can I do this?
 
I can find all of my files on finder . . . I just noticed that under iCloud there are three folders iCloud Drive, Desktop and Documents. I don't want my desktop or documents stored in the cloud. How do I stop this? And make Documents store on my computer? Why would anyone want their documents stored in the cloud automatically? This is insane and enough to make me give up on Apple.
[doublepost=1520806274][/doublepost]
Thank you
[doublepost=1520806462][/doublepost]When I go to uncheck that option on iCloud it gives me a message that all of my documents and desktop information will be removed from my computer!!!, but remain on iCloud!!! WTF!!! Has Apple lost their mind. I just want my documents on my computer and not in the cloud.

A: When setting up a new Mac or updating to High Sierra it asked you if you wanted to do that.

B: when you turn it off it will go to an iCloud Archive folder in your Home Folder
 
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