iCloud synced Document folder does not show correct folder path

Question

iCloud synced Document folder does not show correct folder path

First of all, I am on a 14 inches Macbook Pro (2021, bought 2022), 16GB ram, M1 Pro, running Sequoia 15.5.

I noticed the following strange behaviour.

First, iCloud sync with Desktop and Document folder is turned on. And I have the Finder option to show the bottom path bar turned on (Command Option P).

When I click on the Desktop folder from the left column on Finder, it shows the iCloud file path on the bottom, as you can see (Mesa means Desktop).

Also if I select a file, it shows the iCloud path:

Notice the left bar is still within iCloud too.

Now, if I click on Documents instead of Desktop, the bottom folder shows this:

Notice the left column is within the iCloud section, but the bottom bar shows a local HD path.

However!, when I select one of the files in that same folder, it shows an iCloud path:

I suppose this is not expected behaviour. When I go on my Files iPhone app, the Document folder expectedly shows an iCloud path — it couldn't possibly show a MacBook path anyway. Can someone reproduce this same discrepancy?

I have talked to common and senior technicians over the phone and chat and they agree the paths should not be inconsistent like that.

MacBook Pro 14″

Posted on May 30, 2025 5:45 AM

Reply

Answer 1

May 30, 2025 9:13 AM in response to confused_user14

Well, that's curious! My Documents folder path looks like this

As I would expect.

So, aside from the funny path thing, does everything work properly? Is it just the display? What does the display say for the path if you do a Finder search for one of these files?

What do you see in your own user's folder? I don't see either Documents or Desktop, since they are in iCloud Drive.

I'm guessing that you've re-booted, and it stays that way-- is that right? What happens if you restart in Safe Mode? This bypasses certain potentially disruptive processes, and it often helps. Safe Mode is different for different computers, so see this:

Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

Reply

Answer 2

May 30, 2025 11:26 AM in response to confused_user14

FWIW a while back I had maybe a related problem (with iCloud Drive Documents & Desktop NOT enabled) with a stubborn iCloud extra Desktop folder that refused to delete via Command-Delete or via the web interface, while first dragging it to the local Desktop did the trick:

How can I remove the "Desktop" folder fro… - Apple Community

Reply

Answer 3

May 30, 2025 9:51 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

"does everything work properly?"

So far, yes. But, before, iCloud got stuck uploading something and it only solved after I logged out of iCloud and logged back in.

"Is it just the display?"

Yes

"What does the display say for the path if you do a Finder search for one of these files?"

It display the expected file path:

"What do you see in your own user's folder?" The expected. But if you show hidden items (cmd shift dot), both Desktop and Documents show as hidden folders (this makes sense as your computer needs to locally save them too).

"I'm guessing that you've re-booted, and it stays that way-- is that right?"

Rebooted and updated. Logged out of iCloud and then back in (this solved it when I clicked on "Documents" for the first time, but then it went back to showing a local path). I have not tried Safe Mode yet. I will tonight.

Reply

Answer 4

May 30, 2025 10:46 AM in response to confused_user14

confused_user14 wrote: … I have not tried Safe Mode yet. I will tonight.

Safe mode is easy. You may not want to spend much time there.

I did a Finder Search for "Documents," and got hundreds it seems (from inside other folders,) but the most recent one had an the iCloud/Documents path.

Reply

Answer 5

Jun 2, 2025 7:42 AM in response to confused_user14

I just found out when I go on my local user folder and show the hidden folders, when I select the Desktop hidden folder, it shows a iCloud path on the bottom, when I select the Document hidden folder, it shows a local path.

Reply

Answer 6

Jun 2, 2025 9:32 AM in response to confused_user14

My hidden versions say iCloud.

It sounds like this is weird, but it's of no consequence-- is that right? Everything works as it should, except for this. Documents and Desktop are supposed to behave as if they were in the user's folder, anyway.That Safe Mode doesn't work differently means that this isn't about caches or login items. There's some bit someplace that's a 1 instead of a 0, and it could be really hard to find it.

I really like Matti's trick or some version of it, but it seems to me that doing that or anything else more drastic to try to fix it might be just as likely to mess things up. I'm beginning to think that for the present the best thing is to be watchful, but then see what happens with the next upgrade.

What do you think?

Reply

Answer 7

Jun 4, 2025 3:37 AM in response to Richard.Taylor

"but it's of no consequence"

That I have no way of knowing. So far, no issues. But it is not expected behaviour. I have reported the issue to customer support and they say they will send this over to their engineers. I have worked IT before, customer support has no contact with engineers, so I think he was finessing me there.

"here's some bit someplace that's a 1 instead of a 0"

I would imagine it is purely a cosmetic thing, but when I click, inside iCloud, on the Documents folder and "Get info", it shows a local path. So there is something strange going on either way.

"but then see what happens with the next upgrade. "

The next upgrade already happened. I updated the Macbook to the current version and the incoherence remains.

If anyone has any technical insight into this, I would be glad to hear.

Reply

Answer 8

May 30, 2025 4:15 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Safe mode doesn't do anything.

And here is some very strange behaviour I recorded:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNHOOKXZXe4

Reply

Quick Links

iCloud synced Document folder does not show correct folder path