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documents and desktop gone missing

My desktop and documents folders have disappeared replaced by icloud. What can I do to get them back?


MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Dec 11, 2022 2:48 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 11, 2022 2:51 PM

See the following excerpt from an Apple Support article if you want to turn off the Desktop and Documents option of iCloud Drive. From Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support


Turn off Desktop and Documents

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings. In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. 
  2. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
  3. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  4. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  5. Click Done.


What happens when you turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 11, 2022 2:51 PM in response to smoothsailing14

See the following excerpt from an Apple Support article if you want to turn off the Desktop and Documents option of iCloud Drive. From Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support


Turn off Desktop and Documents

  1. From your Mac, choose Apple menu  > System Settings. In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences. 
  2. Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
  3. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
  4. Deselect Desktop & Documents Folders.
  5. Click Done.


What happens when you turn off Desktop and Documents

When you turn off Desktop & Documents Folders, your files stay in iCloud Drive and a new Desktop and Documents folder is created on your Mac in the home folder. You can move files from iCloud Drive to your Mac as you need them, or select all of your files and drag them to the place you want to keep them.

documents and desktop gone missing

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