How do I prevent desktops from syncing across MacBooks after macOS Sequoia update?

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How do I prevent desktops from syncing across MacBooks after macOS Sequoia update?

Hi there,

I recently got a macbook air for work. I set up two user profiles on it, one personal and one for work. Everything was working fine until I updated Seqoia this am, now it is showing my wife's desktop (also a macbook, with my id) on my new macbook, but it is only showing it on the work profile, not the personal one.

After the macbook had rebooted this am, I logged into personal profile first, no change, but when I went to log into my work profile it asked me to add in my icloud UN and PW, as if that hadn't been set up before.

Finally when I logged into the Apple support Community just now, for the first time, the 6 digit security code came up on the laptop I was using to log in, not a separate one?!

Please help, I don't want the desktops to sync across macs

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Air

Posted on Apr 23, 2025 12:11 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Björn Herrmann

Level 4

2,661 points

Apr 23, 2025 2:11 AM in response to Jimboroad

You have enabled Documents and Desktop on iCloud. This syncs both of these folders between devices using iCloud instead of local folders. You can enable/disable this in System Settings/Apple Account/iCloud/iCloud Drive.

Regardless of that your wife should not use your Apple ID, but instead create her own. Otherwise you are perfectly set up for all kinds of unwanted behaviour like iMessage/FaceTime calls on the wrong device, contacts, calendars, saved passwords all getting mixed up, etc.

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Answer 2

Apr 23, 2025 2:22 AM in response to Jimboroad

Here's the Support article that describes how to turn Desktop and Documents folder syncing on – and off.

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

I think you're going to want to create separate Apple IDs, and decide to unentangle existing data. (Whoever keeps the current Apple ID would be getting any iCloud-synchronized data associated with it, unless you manually moved stuff around afterwards.)

If your MacBook Air is provided by your employer, or if they insist on having the right to manage it, you may want to be careful about what personal data you store on it, even in your own ("personal") user account.

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