deleting files and photos that are stored on desktop and iCloud
If I delete copies of local desktop files are they still saved in my iCloud account?
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If your Desktop and Documents folder are syncing with iCloud Drive, any file you delete locally on your Mac from Desktop or Documents or iCloud Drive will be deleted from iCloud as well. The purpose of iCloud is syncing and to keep the files and folders identical across all devices. Whatever you are doing on one of your synced devices, will be updated in iCloud as well and from there sync to all other devices.
To save storage locally, do not delete the files on Desktop and Documents, but ctrl-click them and then use the command "Remove download" from the contextual menu. Then the files will remain in iCloud and only be removed locally.