Retrieving desktop file from iCloud

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Retrieving desktop file from iCloud

My desktop files are synced to iCloud and this creates a problem with photo files on the Desktop. I use software to edit photos, however, when I use this software (OM Workspace)to access the the desktop the file is marked with a down pointing arrow and I cannot access it

I can access the file from Finder and copy the photos across into the software but this is an additional and should be an unnecessary step.

Is there any way to have the desktop accessible as usual as well as having a copy on the cloud?

Alternatively how do I retrieve my desktop files from the cloud? If I do that can I switch off iCloud syncing without losing files as there is a message to that effect when I attempt to switch off syncing.

I am using a MacBook Pro M1 with Ventura.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 13.7

Posted on May 1, 2025 7:06 AM

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Answer 1

May 1, 2025 9:21 AM in response to Milvus70

Which "down arrow" is your file marked with?

means in iCloud but not local on our Mac

means "Keep Downloaded" so is always local.

If the file is kept in iCloud but not on your Mac, then what you see is a link to the file at iCloud. Some apps may have a hard time with this.

If you right click on the file, you get a menu like this:

Setting a file to Keep Downloaded might make your app happier.

Why are you using iCloud Drive?

See this:

Understanding iCloud Drive - Apple Community

Is this what you need?

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Answer 2

May 2, 2025 7:24 AM in response to Milvus70

Milvus70 wrote: …When I right click the Desktop folder in the iCloud Drive I get this:

Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant.

I was referring to files, not folders. If you "Keep Downloaded" all the files in a folder, the folder will show that.

Why am I using iCloud Drive? I thought using iCloud seemed like a good idea but perhaps I misunderstood what I was doing.

iCloud is for synchronizing files and Photos with Macs, iPads, and iPhones so they have access to the same files. It can also be used to offload files from the internal drive, but there are other ways to do that. If you don't need the synchronization, you may want to re-think iCloud Drive.

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Answer 3

Milvus70 Author

Level 1

12 points

May 1, 2025 12:36 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

I am being immensely dense so please bear with me. The file is marked in the app as your second example, so 'Kept Downloaded' . Oddly when I try to access the Desktop through another photo processing app it works perfectly!

When I right click the Desktop folder in the iCloud Drive I get this:

Perhaps I misunderstood what you meant.

Why am I using iCloud Drive? I thought using iCloud seemed like a good idea but perhaps I misunderstood what I was doing.

Any further advice would be appreciated. I thought I had some understanding of how this all worked but clearly not!

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Answer 4

Milvus70 Author

Level 1

12 points

May 1, 2025 1:14 PM in response to Milvus70

Further thought, can I remove the Desktop file from the iCloud backup or am I showing my ignorance again? further research suggests that the OM Workspace will not play nice with iCloud!

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Retrieving desktop file from iCloud

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