You can automatically save everything on your Mac's desktop to iCloud Drive and access it on your iPhone or iPad!
As part of an effort to help you save space on your computer while keeping you connected to everything important to you, macOS Sierra supports Desktop & Documents Folders syncing in iCloud Drive.
With Desktop & Documents Folders iCloud Drive syncing enabled, every photo, file, and folder you save to your desktop will automatically save in iCloud, where you can access it from your iPhone, iPad, another Mac, and even a Windows-based PC via iCloud Drive or iCloud.com.
It also means that every file, folder, or document that is normally stored in your Mac's Documents folder will also automatically save in iCloud.
No matter where you are or what you do, your most important files can be stored in the cloud, making it possible for you to access them from anywhere.
Should you use Desktop and Documents Folders syncing in macOS Sierra?
When you first download the update to macOS Sierra, you will be prompted to turn on Desktop & Documents Folders syncing. However, you can hold off on enabling the feature and manually turn it on at a later time if you choose. Why would you choose to wait? Mainly, iCloud storage space.
You can't choose Desktop OR Documents folders so consider how much space both will use in your iCloud storage.
If you are on Apple's free 5 GB iCloud Storage plan and have no intention of upgrading, you probably shouldn't turn on Desktop & Documents Folders syncing in iCloud. It does count against your storage and can potentially eat up a lot of it. Even if you don't have very many files or folders on your desktop, the Documents folder is usually where your Mac automatically stores files from third-party apps and programs and it might be very big.
If you are paying $0.99 per month for the 50 GB tier of iCloud storage (or any of the higher tiers), you are probably free and clear to start using Desktop & Documents Folders iCloud syncing. I use iCloud to store my entire photo library, all of my iBooks, and content from about a dozen third-party apps. With Desktop and Documents Folders stored in iCloud, I use up about half of my 50 GB of storage.
If you are nearing your iCloud storage limit, at any tier, and don't plan on upgrading, it might be better to hold off on using Desktop & Documents Folders in iCloud until you've freed up space in your storage. It can take up anywhere from just a few GBs of space to a few dozen GBs, depending on what you have in your Documents folder and what you keep on your desktop.
How to manually add Desktop and Documents Folders to iCloud in macOS Sierra
If you didn't enable Desktop & Documents Folders syncing in iCloud when you first updated to macOS Sierra, but later decided you wanted to use the feature, you can still add them to iCloud storage manually.
- Click on the Apple icon () in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.
Select System Preferences... from the dropdown menu.
- Click on iCloud in the Preferences window.
Click on Options next to iCloud Drive.
- Tick the box next to Desktop & Documents Folders.
Click on Done in the bottom right corner of the window.
Your files and folders will be added to iCloud where you can access them from your iPhone, iPad, another Mac, or even a PC via iCloud Drive or iCloud.com.
How to access your Desktop and Documents Folder on iPhone and iPad in macOS Sierra
Once your desktop and Documents folder are stored in iCloud, you can access, and even edit them on your iPhone or iPad. You don't even need to be on iOS 10 or macOS Sierra to see the files.
- Open iCloud Drive on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the Desktop or Documents folder.
Tap the file you want to open.
You can even edit some documents right inside iCloud Drive, without having to open another app.
How to remove desktop files from iCloud Drive
Whenever you move a file from your desktop to another place on your Mac, like a folder stored in your computer or Dropbox, it will be moved to the new location and deleted from iCloud Drive and will no longer be accessible from your other devices.
All you have to do is drag-and-drop it from your desktop into a new, non-iCloud location. You will see a pop-up asking you to confirm the changes. Click move to continue.
How to stop syncing Desktop and Documents Folder to iCloud Drive in macOS Sierra
If you decide that syncing your desktop and Documents folder is not for you, you can always revert back to the old way by disabling the syncing feature.
- Click on the Apple icon () in the upper left corner of your Mac's screen.
Select System Preferences... from the dropdown menu.
- Click on iCloud in the Preferences window.
Click on Options next to iCloud Drive.
- Un-tick the box next to Desktop & Documents Folders.
- Click on Done in the bottom right corner of the window.
Any Questions?
Do you have any questions about syncing your desktop and Documents folder in iCloud on macOS Sierra? Drop them in the comments and I'll help you out.
Reader comments
How to save your Desktop and Documents folder to iCloud Drive in macOS Sierra
It just saved the day.
Ok... this is awesome but for some reason I ran into a problem. I originally installed Sierra on my iMac when the beta first came out. I installed the GM on my MBPR 2 days ago and went into my settings to enable Desktop & Documents. When I go to the iCloud Drive on my iPad it shows a Desktop folder for the MBPR but screenshots that are sitting on my iMac's desktop. So the iMac doesn't have a folder..
I have a similar problem using the final release of macOS Sierra on two MacBook Pro. On the desktop of laptop 1 it shows a folder called 'Desktop - laptop 2' and all files originally placed on laptop 1's desktop. On laptop 2 it shows a folder called 'Desktop - laptop 2' (instead of 'Desktop - laptop 1') and again all the files placed on laptop 1's desktop.
Same for the documents folder. Laptop 2 simply created a folder within Documents labeled 'Documents - laptop 2' (instead of seeing one labeled 'Documents - laptop 1') and moved all the documents of laptop 2's document folder into that folder - including the Microsoft and other application folders, which now makes these software suites not function properly anymore because their data was moved to a different folder.
Within the documents folder I see directly all the files, which were placed within laptop 1's document folder.
It simply doesn't make sense.
I spoke with an Apple rep on the phone just now and he couldn't really understand the problem I think. He will escalate it but he also suggested to give feedback to apple via http://apple.com/feedback
Hi
I am a bit confused after listening to a podcast. Does this feature leave your documents folder on the mac and make copies into a documents folder on iCloud drive, or as the podcast suggested does it actually remove local storage on the mac and my documents folder is now only situated in ICloud?
Thanks
iCloud has control of your folders. The reason I know this is today, I unchecked Desktop and Documents syncing and I got a message "If you continue, documents on your Desktop and in your Documents folder will be visible in iCloud Drive only. No documents will be deleted from iCloud Drive." So, you have to download your data from iCloud back to your Mac.
How do I download my data back? I want my documents folder back.
What happens if you do it with multiple computers? Do you have two documents folders and two Desktop folders in iCloud Drive?
I would think 1 Mac per Apple ID? It's tied to your iCloud account.
That is correct. Each folder will be named for the Mac it comes from. For example, one folder would be called "Desktop: Lory's MacBook Pro" and another would be called "Desktop: Lory's iMac."
Doesn't that defeat the purpose? I thought it was to have all your desktops be the same, not separated into individual folders. How would they all stay synced then?
I like the idea of iCloud sync but it seems to not be reliable. I have a Macbook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac. I put a file on the desktop of the Macbook Pro. It shows up on the Mac Mini but NOT on the iMac. However I have other files that I put on the iMac that do upload to the cloud and the other computers so it is working but not for everything. This pretty much defeats the purpose if I can't rely on it for all files on all machines. I had Dropbox before and it always worked flawless but I thought I'd drop the premium storage and apply it to iCloud and keep everything there. Now I"m thinking of going back to Dropbox because of the problems. Even if it is slow and still downloading there should be a status like Dropbox does to show you transfer rate, how much file has transferred, etc. It shows uploading 3 files, 75 bytes of 55.7 MB and never changes from this even after a reboot.
I like the idea of iCloud sync but it seems to not be reliable. I have a Macbook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac. I put a file on the desktop of the Macbook Pro. It shows up on the Mac Mini but NOT on the iMac. However I have other files that I put on the iMac that do upload to the cloud and the other computers so it is working but not for everything. This pretty much defeats the purpose if I can't rely on it for all files on all machines. I had Dropbox before and it always worked flawless but I thought I'd drop the premium storage and apply it to iCloud and keep everything there. Now I"m thinking of going back to Dropbox because of the problems. Even if it is slow and still downloading there should be a status like Dropbox does to show you transfer rate, how much file has transferred, etc. It shows uploading 3 files, 75 bytes of 55.7 MB and never changes from this even after a reboot.
Well never mind, after a reboot and a LONG wait, it finally started to download the file on the desktop. I think it gets stuck sometimes in transfer and stops until a reboot.
You failed to mention if you turn this feature off, all the files on your Mac in the Desktop and Documents folder are DELETED! They stay on iCloud and you have to download them. I repeated this twice, enable then un-enable to verify. Good thing I had a backup of all my files on the Documents folder. Why would the OS do this?
I spent more than hour on the phone with Apple support yesterday regarding this issue, and while it was escalated to a senior support rep, he didn't seem to be able to answer the question as to why the files would be deleted from your local disk and the need to be manually downloaded, yet he wanted me to check the box to undo the Documents and Desktop syncing. He also couldn't answer the question if the files were actually maintained locally and synced to iCloud, or whether they were maintained only in iCloud with a symbolic link on the local drive. The description of the service speaks of "syncing" the files, but then why would deactivating this feature require you to download the files from iCloud? It makes no sense at all. I'm going to eventually turn it off, as I use Dropbox and keep the files both locally and synced to the Dropbox cloud. What a mess Apple created with this update.
Here's a link to an article as to how to make Dropbox function like MacOS Sierra promised with your Documents and Desktop folders, but actually accomplish keeping your files locally as well as synced to the Dropbox cloud. Much more reliable. Apple let us down on this one.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/beyond-icloud-syncing-your-desktop-and-docu...
Been thinking more about this feature and wondering maybe this is how it is supposed to work? And is it linked to Optimize Mac Storage feature somehow?
Thanks for the heads up on this. I have this feature turned on right now so it's good to know what'll happen when I turn it off. I was just giving it a test drive anyway. It amazes me that Apple just can't get cloud services right. If you hear or read anything more please share.
I am confused. When I followed your instructions "How to stop syncing Desktop and Documents Folder to iCloud Drive in macOS Sierra", after I unticked the box beside Desktop & Documents Folders, I got a message "If you continue, documents on your Desktop and in your Documents folder will be visible in iCloud Drive only. No documents will be deleted from iCloud Drive." I don't know what this means. I do not want my Desktop or Documents on iCloud. I want to go back to having it only on my Mac. After all of the news about hacking into Yahoo, etc I do not trust iCloud for my important data. I want it off iCloud and only on my Mac. How do I do this?
Yes, that's how it works right now and hence this discussion. It appears that iCloud takes all the control of your folders so that if you turn off the feature, the contents are no longer locally on your hard drive but in iCloud only. So, you have to download your data to your Mac to get everything back and delete what's in iCloud. Maybe for some, it's okay but I prefer the way Dropbox or Box does it.
That option is totally unacceptable - it slows any action I take that uses any file - and so greatly reduces my ability to get work done. I am deeply unimpressed.
Hi,
Great article.
I switched the iCloud documents on and everything works as expected. But now i want to turn it off since im not sure yet if i really want to use it. When switching it off my documents folder is back on the Mac SSD but is empty. All documents remain on the iCloud drive. How do i get them back on the SSD? is it a simple matter of copying them back?
Reasons i don's want to use the iCloud drive for now:
-I have Suger sync storage which uses an far more user friendly way of accessing my documents once in the cloud;
-I always have all my documents on de SSD, so even when i have no internet connection;
-I use time machine for complete backups
-i now have three backups of my documents (SSD, Time machine and Sugarsync)
-I have plenty of room left on the SSD
-With iCloud storage i have only one copy of he docs
So the question is, how do i get my documents back on the SSD?
Thanks in advance
Kenneth
I have just updated my Mac to this! Useful article :)
I have one question/'issue': How can I have my Documents & Desktop folders ON MY MAC as well as the iCloud? As it has moved them both to iCloud [I do have the 50GB of storage].
I have un-clicked/selected the "Optimise Mac Storage. The full contents of iCloud Drive will be stores on this Mac if you have enough space. Older Documents will be stored only in iCloud when space is needed" but it hasn't moved them back to my Mac [I have restarted the Mac too].
It would be helpful to explain what a non-iCloud location might mean, or more precise examples thereof - I know it makes perfect sense to you, but I'm not getting it.
When I try to turn off iCloud drive, the message I get is that everything I've traditionally stored on my computer will no longer be visible there, but only in iCloud Drive...I'd have expected it to be the other way around, somehow.
Another half-baked "feature", the implications of which are unclear when you are given the option, and are inconvenient if not catastrophic to undo...and which, apparently, the increasingly mediocre Apple Support people can't explain to you sensibly, other than various versions of "junk everything and start again"...Of course, a really huge percentage of them, or so it seems, have never actually laid eyes on a Mac, but MAYBE have an iPhone or iPad.