What's the difference between Download now and Keep Downloaded

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Level 1

88 points

What's the difference between Download now and Keep Downloaded

I understand the new Keep Downloaded downloads your file to the computer and keeps it there. So, what is the difference between download now and keep downloaded? It appears download now remains in the iCloud but is now available on the computer... is that corrrect? The little icon next to the download now folder is still a cloud without the arrow. The icon next to the keep downloaded folder I just downloaded has a dark circle with an arrow in it. We've been having issues with getting messages about running out of space on our "family plan" 2TB (and that's for another post as the info in storage is totally inaccurate and we haven't even used 1 TB between the two computers). So, just want to make sure here that in certain instances where we need to access documents in a folder we are currently working on, they remain on the computer, as I'm also finding files that are in "data recovery" ... there are 2,250 of them so I'm slogging through those.

Mac mini, macOS 15.6

Posted on Aug 8, 2025 8:23 AM

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Answer 1

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Richard.Taylor

Level 6

17,047 points

Aug 8, 2025 10:09 AM in response to TuckerdogAVL

There are lots and lots and lots of scams, and we are all getting messages about running out of space. Do not click on anything in the message!! Check your account and believe that.

Download Now can be temporary, so when free storage space is needed, the local file can be deleted and available for download later.

Keep Downloaded means the file stays on the device, and even if space is needed the file will not be removed until the computer explodes. (Well, they may not be planning for that, exactly.)

See this:

Understanding iCloud Drive - Apple Community

The icon stuff in near the bottom.

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Answer 2

TuckerdogAVL Author

Level 1

88 points

Aug 8, 2025 11:31 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

You might know the answer to this which relates to this subject. We have a Mac mini and an Air Laptop. Both are 500GB (more or less as you know). We are family. Both computers share News, AppleTV+ and the iCloud. The Laptop shares the 2TB iCloud with the MM. The MM shares the other two with the Laptop(Just how it ended up being set up and I don't want to screw with it.

So, this is what isn't making any sense to me. The MM shows in storage 258GB in the iCloud Drive, makes sense... However, the additional 24.4GB that makes up TOTAL combined of 323 GB doesn't make sense as storage in the laptop shows 422 out of 480 used. And we keep getting notices that it's running out of space.

And, even more crazy, is on the laptop, when you choose "Documents" in storage it is showing something like 28MB being used in iCloud storage. That's crazy. (The laptop's not here right now, so I'm just guessing).

Both computers have optimized on. Look at the size of the system data on the Mac HD. And I've tried all kinds of stuff from forums to make it go down. The system data on the Laptop is about 90GB.

So according to the storage I'm maxing out and so is the laptop but we have 2TB of iCloud storage available, only 320~ is being used... and, if Documents in 80GB and the iCloud Drive is 38GB and photos are 28GB ... how the heck do I get the system data lower on both computers?

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Answer 3

Aug 8, 2025 11:47 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

On my 2TB MacBook, Finder says I have 65 GB available. Settings says I've got 600 GB available.

First rule of storage: keep 10% free

Second rule of storage: relax and don't fret over the numbers

Those numbers just aren't precise. As Captain Barbosa would say, "They're more like guidelines, anyway."

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Answer 4

TuckerdogAVL Author

Level 1

88 points

Aug 8, 2025 12:26 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Except we keep getting messages to delete files to make more space and files have disappeared. I've had to painstakingly go into "data recovery" and attempt to figure out what can be deleted and what shouldn't be with it says 2,250 files are now in the "to be deleted" stage. Lots of little bits, but I've had to recover some documents we are working on. Very confusing. And it certainly doesn't help with managing storage. Is there or isn't there 2TB of space then? :-)

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Answer 5

TuckerdogAVL Author

Level 1

88 points

Aug 8, 2025 10:30 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks. That helps. The messages have been coming directly to the computerr, not thru Text or emails so I assume those are legit? Or, is that something to be aware of as well?

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Answer 6

Aug 8, 2025 10:48 AM in response to TuckerdogAVL

I get notifications when texts and emails come in, could that be it?

Your account is the real thing.

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