Cloud Storage

How to Completely Uninstall iCloud Drive on Mac

Because iCloud Drive is part of macOS, it cannot be uninstalled by dragging it to the Trash. Instead, you must turn it off in System Settings under your Apple Account > iCloud.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove iCloud Drive and everything it leaves behind

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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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

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

iCloud Drive has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
iCloud Drive is part of macOS and cannot be uninstalled; it is turned off in System Settings under your Apple Account > iCloud.
Remove the folders iCloud Drive left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything iCloud Drive keeps on your Mac

5 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/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~/Library/Application Support/CloudDocs App data · iCloud Drive sync database Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Caches/CloudKit Cache · iCloud sync cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Caches/com.apple.bird Cache · iCloud Drive sync daemon cache Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Containers/com.apple.CloudDocs.iCloudDriveFileProvider Sandbox container · iCloud Drive File Provider data managed by macOS Yes, once the app is gone

Locations checked on a Mac with iCloud Drive installed.

What iCloud Drive leaves behind

Specific to iCloud Drive

Turning off the app does not remove its associated folders or your personal documents. Local copies of files, the sync database, and File Provider data remain stored in your Library. Caches for the sync daemon and CloudKit also persist but are rebuilt automatically if the service restarts. These remaining items can occupy between 1 GB – 200 GB depending on how much data you have.

Account and sync: iCloud Drive is part of your Apple Account; files stay in iCloud even if local copies are removed.

Preparing to disable iCloud Drive

Before deactivating the app, manage your local storage to avoid accidental data loss. Deleting files directly from the Mobile Documents folder removes them from the cloud and all other devices. To free space without losing data, use the Remove Download option in Finder. You should also ensure your account settings are configured to handle file eviction automatically.

Turn on Optimize Mac Storage in iCloud settingsUse Remove Download in Finder to clear local spaceQuit the app before removing any Library filesVerify your files are synced to your Apple Account

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	5 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every iCloud Drive file and its size. No account needed.
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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own iCloud Drive data: back them up before removing them. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while iCloud Drive is installed, so remove them after the app.

Will my files disappear from the cloud if I turn off the app?

No, your files stay in iCloud even if local copies are removed from your Mac.

Why is the Mobile Documents folder still taking up space?

This happens when many files are downloaded locally rather than kept in iCloud only.