disabling iCloud sync causing file deletions on all devices?

Question

Level 1

4 points

disabling iCloud sync causing file deletions on all devices?

I'm trying to solve a disappearing files issue.

Hi, I had not been using my MacBookPro for a while because I've had a baby and in the meantime have disabled iCloud sync on my iPhone (while solving low space issue) for the Documents folder. Yesterday, I discovered my Documents and Desktop are gone from my MacBook Pro (only empty folder structure remains). I have not explicitly deleted any Documents or Desktop files via icloud.com.

Q1: is there a path to restoring the files?

Q2: icloud.com/storage shows 4.6GB clearly being taken up by Documents, however when browsing icloud.com I can see barely a few files, and nowhere near the size - what is taking up the rest?

The Apple Support phone line is unable to answer this question.

iPhone 13 mini

Posted on Dec 8, 2025 11:20 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Dec 10, 2025 9:15 AM in response to kczerwonka

Congratulations on the new baby!

When you turn on Documents and Desktop in iCloud, those folders and contents appear in the iCloud Drive folder, and they can be accessed by other connected devices. Different Macs can have their D&D folders appear in the iCloud Drive folder, accessible by others, but only their own behave like real Documents and Desktop on their own computers.

When you turn off Documents and Desktop in iCloud, the files are kept safe in iCloud Drive in your account at iCloud.com, and the continue to appear in your iCloud Drive folder. New, empty Documents and Desktop folders are placed in your User's folder, and as long as you've kept up iCloud, then you can retrieve those files and re-fill your local folders. If your iCloud has lapsed for more then 30 days, then you are left with the free 5GB, and there are no guarantees about what's left there that takes up more than that minimum space.

I can't know for sure, but the 4.8 GB you see there can easily be used by automatic backups and stuff like that. 5 GB of free storage isn't much, really.

Reply