How to turn off iCloud sync for Desktop and Documents folders on a Mac

By using iCloud Drive, you can easily sync data in important folders like Desktop and Documents on your Mac with all your other Apple devices, such as your iPhone and iPad.

 

This is a convenient feature, but it consumes a significant amount of your iCloud storage and may have some undesirable privacy implications. Therefore, if you don't need this feature, simply follow the instructions below to turn it off.

First, you need to access System Preferences on your Mac by clicking the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen and selecting 'System Preferences' from the menu.

The System Preferences interface will immediately open; here, click on 'Apple ID'.

In the list titled 'Apps on this Mac using iCloud', find 'iCloud Drive' and click the 'Options' button next to it.

 

In the 'Documents' tab, uncheck the 'Desktop & Documents Folders' option to disable automatic synchronization of contents in your Mac's Desktop and Documents folders via iCloud.

A small pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the action; click 'Turn Off'.

Click the 'Done' button to save the new settings. You can now close the System Preferences window.

You'll then see a new pop-up window reminding you that iCloud won't delete or automatically move the contents of your Documents and Desktop folders in iCloud. You'll need to manually move the files back to your Mac or delete them yourself, depending on your preference.

Click 'Show in Finder' to see the Documents and Desktop folders stored in iCloud Drive.

 

If you want to move your iCloud data back to your local Mac, you can easily do this using a simple drag gesture with your mouse. Open one of the Desktop or Documents folders in iCloud and use the keyboard shortcut Command + A to select all the data. Then, drag the selected items into the 'Desktop' or 'Documents' folder in the right-hand menu.

(If you use the copy and paste shortcut as usual, you will have to go back to your iCloud Drive folder to delete the files after they have finished copying.)

The system will ask if you are sure you want to delete data from iCloud Drive (data will no longer be available on other Apple devices). If you're okay with that, click the 'Move' button.

After all the data has been transferred back to your local Mac, you can delete the Desktop and Documents folders from iCloud Drive, but remember to double-check that you've copied everything you need.