Unable to access Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders remotely on MacBook Pro after disabling iCloud Drive

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Level 1

17 points

Unable to access Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders remotely on MacBook Pro after disabling iCloud Drive

I have a MacBook Pro M1 2020 that was briefly configured with iCloud services, including iCloud Drive. I have subsequently disabled iCloud services, and signed out of my Apple Account. I am using the computer successfully without the benefit of Apple Account services. However, when I connect to this MacBook Pro over my local WiFi network, I am able to access all the data from a separate Mac EXCEPT Desktop, Documents and Downloads, the three main folders that iCloud Drive activates when in use. I have manually updated the file permissions for these folders to allow for complete read and write access for both my registered user, as well as for Everyone, but this has not resolved the problem - I still cannot access files in the Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders remotely. Can anyone help me resolve this? Thanks, Dan

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: File Permissions

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Aug 14, 2025 6:22 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Richard.Taylor

Level 6

17,047 points

Aug 22, 2025 7:46 AM in response to DanJoseph

I would look closely at the paths for your misbehaving folders. Using iCloud Drive with D&D&D enabled creates new copies of these folders, some of them hidden. When you turn off iCloud Drive, there might be orphaned folders, and you may be trying to connect to different ones than the ones you actually use on that Mac.

You can make hidden files visible (and back gain) by using Command-Shift-period ( ⌘ ⇧ . ) Look around in your own User's folder.

Let us know if this works or not…

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Answer 2

6x6

Level 6

19,305 points

Aug 20, 2025 6:23 PM in response to DanJoseph

Refer to the section "Turn off Desktop and Documents" in this article: Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support. (It offers explanations of what happens when you deactivate that functionality and how you can manage it.) I believe this is the issue you are facing.

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Answer 3

DanJoseph Author

Level 1

17 points

Aug 22, 2025 6:32 AM in response to 6x6

Thank you for responding, but this doesn't actually describe my issue. All the content in my Desktop and Documents folders are intact exactly as they should be on my MacBook Pro. The issue is that they don't appear in the folder when I connect to this MacBook Pro over my internal WiFi network. D

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Answer 4

DanJoseph Author

Level 1

17 points

Aug 27, 2025 8:19 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks Richard, and I appreciate your feedback. However, it doesn't really speak to my situation - this MacBook was only briefly signed-in to iCloud, and as you may be aware, when one signs in for the first time all the iCloud features are turned on by default. I rather quickly unchecked most services, including iCloud Drive, so my folders were never actually absorbed by iCloud Drive, and their contents are completely intact, as if iCloud Drive was never involved. However, I continue to have this file permission issue with these three folders, which doesn't allow me to access their contents from another Mac over my WiFi network.

In any event, I have posted this issue under "macOS Sequoia" and hopefully that will lead to a resolution.

Dan

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Answer 5

Aug 27, 2025 8:55 AM in response to DanJoseph

The hidden folders and others are created whether they get populated or not. I think it's worthwhile to have a look at the hidden files.

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Answer 6

DanJoseph Author

Level 1

17 points

Aug 27, 2025 9:23 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

Thanks, but there are no hidden versions of any of these folders - I did check.

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