Cloud Storage

Can I delete iCloud Drive from my Mac?

Yes, you can delete it

iCloud Drive is part of macOS and cannot be uninstalled, but you can turn it off in System Settings. Doing so does not delete the app itself, though it stops syncing files to this Mac. Your files remain in your Apple Account unless you manually remove the local copies.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

See how much space iCloud Drive really takes before you decide

iCloud Drive data usually takes 1 GB – 200 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Application: iCloud Drive
Typical data size: 1 GB – 200 GB
Category: Cloud Storage
File Location: ~/Library/Mobile Documents

What you lose and what you keep when turning off iCloud Drive

Specific to iCloud Drive

Turning off iCloud Drive stops the sync but does not delete the application or your documents. Files stored in iCloud remain safe on other devices and in the cloud. Local copies of your data, such as Desktop and Documents if synced, stay on your Mac until you remove them separately. However, if you manually delete files from the local Mobile Documents folder, those changes remove the files from iCloud on every device. Only downloaded copies can be freed safely without affecting the cloud storage.

Where your iCloud Drive data lives

These folders hold your own iCloud Drive data. Deleting the app leaves them in place; removing them is what actually deletes it.

~/Library/Mobile Documents Your files · local copies of iCloud Drive files and app iCloud folders Back up first: your data~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~CloudDocs Your files · the main iCloud Drive folder shown in Finder Back up first: your data

Account and sync: iCloud Drive is part of your Apple Account; files stay in iCloud even if local copies are removed.
Your files: Every file in iCloud Drive, including Desktop and Documents if synced, has its local copy under Mobile Documents.

What to do before disabling iCloud Drive

Before you disable the service, ensure you do not accidentally delete your own data. Do not delete files directly in Mobile Documents, as this removes them from iCloud everywhere. Instead, use Remove Download in Finder to free up space while keeping the file in iCloud. Turn on Optimize Mac Storage so macOS automatically evicts files to save space. This prevents you from losing access to important documents while managing local storage.

Turn on Optimize Mac Storage in iCloud settings to manage space automatically.Use Remove Download in Finder for large files instead of deleting them.Verify that critical local projects are not relying on local-only storage.Do not manually delete files from the Mobile Documents folder.

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How to delete iCloud Drive completely

Quit iCloud Drive, move it to the Trash, then remove what it left in ~/Library/Mobile Documents. The full step-by-step guide:

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Frequently asked questions

Will deleting iCloud Drive delete my files?

No. Removing the app doesn't touch documents you saved in other folders. Only the app and, if you remove them, its own support files are deleted.

Will my Desktop and Documents folders disappear?

No, they remain on your Mac if you only turn off iCloud Drive. They are only deleted if you manually remove the local copies.

How do I free up space without losing files?

Right-click large files in Finder and select Remove Download. This keeps the file in iCloud but removes the local copy.