have to keep downloading the same files again and again from iCloud to mac

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Level 1

4 points

have to keep downloading the same files again and again from iCloud to mac

If this question has been answered previously, please let me know, but I couldn't find anything. I recently got iCloud Drive, and I want to save my files on my MacBook Air so they are always available even without an internet connection. I click on the cloud icon to download my files, and they will be fine for a few hours or even a day. Then, the cloud icon appears again, and I have to download again or else I can't access my files without internet. So I download again. Even when I don't make any changes or add anything new, the cloud icon continues to appear every few hours. I so keep downloading the same files over and over, because without internet I can't access them despite being previously downloaded multiple times. This happens with large folders contains several GBs of data as well as small files only a few MBs. My OS is up to date. Is there a way I don't have to continually re-download all the time, or is this just how iCloud works? If that's the case, I'll cancel my subscription.

Posted on Jul 21, 2024 8:25 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 21, 2024 8:45 AM in response to tmsanyou

If I go to my iCloud Folder (sometimes labeled Mobile Documents) and click on a file there, it opens even if I'm not connected to the internet. That's because iCloud is a synchronization service, and the files are normally kept locally on my Mac as well as at iCloud. My local files are synchronized with the iCloud files so that they are available on my iPhone and iPad. If my Mac's internal drive gets too full, some local copies might be deleted to make room, but I'd get these back by just clicking on the file in iCloud Drive. I never "download" these files at all.

If you go to System Settings>ID>iCloud>iCloud Drive, what are your settings? I have Sync on, and Documents off (since I don't really use the Documents folder, much.) Most of the apps are off.

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Answer 2

muguy

Level 10

82,519 points

Jul 21, 2024 12:49 PM in response to tmsanyou

Turn off optimization and your files will remain on your Mac. With optimization on, some files may be offloaded for space to iCloud but only if space is needed on your Mac. Those files then need to be downloaded again. With optimization off the files reside on your Mac.

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