iCloud question

DaveS

Well-Known Member
Just what does the little cloud symbol beside a document title mean? Some of the documents I have stored on my computer show it, others don't. It seems to me that this has changed with upgrading to Big Sur, but that's not entirely clear. There is no apparent connection to direct action on my part.
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
When there is a cloud symbol next to a thing (app, document, music file, photo, etc) it means the file is not actually stored on your device, but in iCloud. When you press the thing, it is quickly downloaded from iCloud to display.

The ones that don't show it are actually stored on your device's local storage.
 

DaveS

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply. That's pretty much what I figured. However, there were a number of files I was keeping on my computer and some on iCloud, and now they appear to have switched (going by that symbol), but it's a bit erratic. Do you know if the behaviour of this has changed with Big Sur? Is there a way to copy files to iCloud as a backup without them being removed from the computer? It would be rather tedious to duplicate all of them and then put the duplicates onto iCloud. Also, there are some that are faint and some darker. What's the difference?
Thanks.
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
In recent versions of macOS there has been an option to keep all files that are "stored" on the desktop and documents folders for a given user in iCloud automatically; perhaps you have this turned on?

I don't know what the difference is in the "iCloud" status symbol next to a given file means, but remember that iCloud is automatically backed up by Apple so your files are probably safer there than then are on your computer's local storage -- unless you need one of the iCloud files at a time when you don't have any internet access.

You can certainly move a file stored on iCloud Drive to a local folder on your Mac. Just open iCloud Drive, select the files/folders you want to move, and drag them to the new location. You will be asked if you're sure you want to remove the item from iCloud Drive.
 

DaveS

Well-Known Member
Thanks, but I don't see any setting where this could have been turned on, unless that's the default. Either way, there's no obvious way to turn it off. I found this:

Screen Shot 2020-12-12 at 9.19.44 PM.png but that seems unlikely to be the issue. There's also a list of apps under AppleID in system preferences which uses iCloud, but Numbers and Pages, the ones at issue, are not listed.

And moving files manually is not the issue, either.
Anyhow, I'll keep investigating.
 

DaveS

Well-Known Member
I found the place. I'll experiment with the way I have the settings now, and if I don't like it I'l put it back. Anyhow, thanks, Chas. Always something to think about.
 
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