Mac – iCloud Documents and Desktop empty – macOS High Sierra

icloudmac

I logged out of my iCloud account. Now I logged back in, and the Desktop is empty, and so is the Documents folder.

If I check online, all my files are still there. But they are not showing on my computer, running macOS High Sierra.

I have tried signing out again. In iCloud settings, I have checked Desktop and Documnet Folders to check that it syncs.

How do I get the contents of Desktop and Documents to sync to my Mac?

Best Answer

I discovered, that you need to give it some time to restore the Desktop & Documents info from iCloud back to your Mac. If you keep signing back out, you just start the process all over again. Make sure you are connected to Wifi, and walk away. Check it in a few hours or tomorrow.

Related Solutions

MacOS – Sync only Desktop folder, but not Documents, with “Store in iCloud”? (iCloud Drive)

Doesn't look like there's a way to single out the Desktop via the 'Manage Storage' GUI.

However, you can always just symlink any directory from your iCloud drive; that way you can ensure that only the Desktop folder is being synced. This is with the caveat that while your Desktop files are being stored in iCloud, they're still taking up space on your HD before, during, and after sync. If you do it on every Mac then you'll keep your Desktop in sync between them all (files added, deleted, changed etc); this might not be what you're after though.

If symlinking isn't something you know how to do, instructions are below.

Backup (via TimeMachine or whatever you use).

Then fire up Terminal and run the following to move your Desktop folder into your iCloud Drive:

mv ~/Desktop /Users/<yourusername>/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/

Then just symlink it to the usual 'Desktop' location:

ln -s /Users/<yourusername>/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs/Desktop /Users/<yourusername>/Desktop

Now anything that you add to ~/Desktop (by dropping things onto your desktop etc) will actually be dropped into your iCloud drive. They are of course still taking up local space on your machine. When you delete something from your desktop then it's gone from the 'Cloud' as well. The benefits of this are more for sync between machines (+ access via your iPhone of course).

If you've got another mac, move anything you value from it's desktop folder into your iCloud Drive 'Desktop' folder first, then delete ~/Desktop on that machine and symlink again as above.

MacOS – Disable Documents and Desktop iCloud sync but keep all files locally

You could hold down the option + click on the document folder and drag it to another directory (essentially copying it) and then disable sync, so it does not affect the files you just created. Do the same for the Desktop Folder.

Best if you can copy to an external drive, to avoid any chances of losing the local files, until you resolve the unsync and deletion of said files.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

MacOS – Sync only Desktop folder, but not Documents, with “Store in iCloud”? (iCloud Drive)

MacOS – Disable Documents and Desktop iCloud sync but keep all files locally

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