Where is the local iCloud drive folder macOS Sonoma “Documents Folder"?

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Where is the local iCloud drive folder macOS Sonoma “Documents Folder"?

This has been asked previously sometime ago, doing a search here. And yes, my older 2011 High Sierra it’s in mobile documents, and also in my 2014 iMac Big Sur.

However, something has changed with macOS Sonoma, and there is no mobile document folder in library and concerned. The documents folder is no longer being backed up locally to Time Machine. I’ve done searches everywhere online and here and cannot find an answer.

Concerned also because Native Instruments Kontakt plug-in for LogicPro States it saves certain documents and files for its functioning in the “Documents Folder", and specifically states it cannot be in iCloud, but must be located locally on one’s Mac.

Considered turning off iCloud documents/desktop, but that would really cause problems between all my devices the way I have things set up.

If anyone has an answer how One might somehow place the documents folder to be also located locally, if indeed there is no Local Documents folder, perhaps with a symbolic link? However, certain root HD folders do not allow to have symbolic links created for them.

Best, Seth

Mac mini

Posted on Nov 4, 2024 4:38 AM

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Answer 1

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,782 points

Nov 4, 2024 4:53 AM in response to Seth77

The original backing store is actually the true desktop and documents folders inside your home. Finder just hides them. There is some method by which you can end up with the folders moving to mobile documents, but I don’t know how or when that happens.Nothing is ever actually moved. The OS just creates hard links or firm links to the files such that they appear to be in inside mobile documents. You should not be using the mobile documents folder for anything.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,782 points

Nov 4, 2024 10:10 AM in response to Seth77

Seth77 wrote:

sponse to Barney-15E

My two older iMacs running older macOS’s show the mobile documents folder containing the Local documents folder, but that is not the case in macOS Sonoma. There is no mobile documents folder anywhere. I would not be concerned except that Native Instruments Kontakt States in the set up that the documents folders must be located locally on your hard drive and not in iCloud. However, I have not encountered any issues or alerts running LogicPro and using Kontakt 8 in my newer MacMini Pro, macOS Sonoma.

I don’t recall if Kontakt specifically stated this if you were running macOS 14 versus macOS 11.

Best, Seth

Desktop & Documents in iCloud Drive has not changed. It may make it look like there are files in Mobile Documents, but that is just File System magic.

You’ll have to contact the vendor to find out why they are stupid. The iCloud backing store is “local”.

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Answer 3

Seth77 Author

Level 1

70 points

Nov 4, 2024 6:06 AM in response to Barney-15E

sponse to Barney-15E

My two older iMacs running older macOS’s show the mobile documents folder containing the Local documents folder, but that is not the case in macOS Sonoma. There is no mobile documents folder anywhere. I would not be concerned except that Native Instruments Kontakt States in the set up that the documents folders must be located locally on your hard drive and not in iCloud. However, I have not encountered any issues or alerts running LogicPro and using Kontakt 8 in my newer MacMini Pro, macOS Sonoma.

I don’t recall if Kontakt specifically stated this if you were running macOS 14 versus macOS 11.

Best, Seth

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Answer 4

Seth77 Author

Level 1

70 points

Nov 4, 2024 1:57 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney,

That would make sense why I have not received any alerts or messages that there was a problem in some aspects in functioning of Native Instruments. So, I would be able to restore from Time Machine, Something gone amiss in the documents folder that has been placed in iCloud Drive? I guess I just need to go and enter Time Machine and take a look. Duh! 🙄

Best,

Seth

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Answer 5

Barney-15E

Level 10

116,782 points

Nov 5, 2024 4:39 PM in response to Seth77

Seth77 wrote:

Barney,

That would make sense why I have not received any alerts or messages that there was a problem in some aspects in functioning of Native Instruments. So, I would be able to restore from Time Machine, Something gone amiss in the documents folder that has been placed in iCloud Drive? I guess I just need to go and enter Time Machine and take a look. Duh! 🙄

Best,

Seth

I'm not running Sonoma, but in Sequoia, the ~/Library/Mobile Documents folders shows up as "iCloud Drive."

And, I confirmed that all files are written to the now-hidden Documents folder in my Home folder.

However, neither folder is any more a "local" folder than the other. If you have Optimized Storage turned on in iCloud Settings, then you may have "placeholder" files in either location.

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Answer 6

Seth77 Author

Level 1

70 points

Nov 4, 2024 6:07 AM in response to Barney-15E

Accidentally posted twice

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