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On macOS Sequoia 15 and Sonoma 14, open Apple menu  → System Settings → your name or Apple Account → iCloud. iCloud settings are part of System Settings, not a separate app. The main location is the same in both versions, although the names of some controls differ.
Find iCloud settings in Sequoia or Sonoma
To open the iCloud controls:
- Click the Apple menu  in the top-left corner of the screen.
- Choose System Settings.
- Click your name or Apple Account at the top of the sidebar.
- Click iCloud.
Apple now uses Apple Account where older instructions may say Apple ID. If you are unsure which macOS version is installed, open Apple menu  → About This Mac and check the version shown. Apple’s Mac guide to changing iCloud settings documents the settings page and its controls.
| Task | macOS Sequoia 15 | macOS Sonoma 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Open iCloud | System Settings → name/Apple Account → iCloud | System Settings → name/Apple Account → iCloud |
| Find app sync controls | Saved to iCloud → See All | Apps Using iCloud → Show All or Show More Apps, if shown |
| Manage a plan | Manage Plan in the iCloud+ area | Manage Plan, then possibly Change Storage Plan |
| Open Drive settings | Select Drive or iCloud Drive | Select iCloud Drive or the corresponding service entry |
The precise wording can vary by service and interface update. In Sonoma, some apps are hidden until you expand the list; in Sequoia, use See All to show the full set.
If you do not see your name or iCloud
If the top of the System Settings sidebar says Sign In with Your Apple Account, the Mac is not signed in to an Apple Account. Select that option, enter the account email address or phone number and password, then complete any verification prompts. Return to the sidebar, select the account name, and open iCloud. Signing in gives the Mac access to iCloud, but individual services may still need to be enabled.
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If you cannot find the account area, make sure you are in System Settings rather than the older System Preferences interface, and scroll to the top of the sidebar. A work- or school-managed Mac may restrict account or iCloud features; ask the organization’s administrator if sign-in or a service is unavailable. Apple’s guide to setting up iCloud on a Mac covers sign-in.
Choose which apps sync with iCloud
Open System Settings → your name/Apple Account → iCloud. In Sequoia, go to Saved to iCloud → See All. In Sonoma, look under Apps Using iCloud and expand the list if necessary. Select a service and turn on the Mac-specific control—often labelled Sync this Mac, Use on this Mac, or similar.
| Service | What its iCloud control is for |
|---|---|
| Photos | iCloud Photos and supported shared-photo features. |
| Drive | iCloud Drive files, with a separate option for Desktop & Documents folders. |
| Passwords | Passwords and related iCloud Keychain syncing. |
| Notes | Notes stored and synchronized through iCloud. |
| Messages | Messages in iCloud and message-history synchronization. |
| iCloud Mail in the Mail app. | |
| Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Safari, Home, and others | Enable the listed service if you want its supported data to use iCloud on this Mac. |
Turning a service off on the Mac stops that service from using iCloud there; it does not necessarily delete every copy of the data from iCloud or other devices. What remains available locally can depend on the service and the choices macOS offers when you turn it off. If you only want to stop one kind of syncing, change that service’s setting rather than signing out of the entire account.
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Manage iCloud storage and iCloud+
The iCloud page shows an overview of storage use. Select Manage or Manage Account Storage, depending on the interface, to review categories and available actions. You may be able to inspect backups, files, Photos, or app data, remove items you no longer need, and review family storage use if Family Sharing applies.
iCloud storage is separate from the Mac’s internal disk. The Mac can have plenty of free space while iCloud storage is full; a full account can prevent new data from syncing or uploading. Before deleting anything, check whether it is synced: deleting a file or photo from iCloud can also remove it from other devices using that account. Remove old backups only if you no longer need them, and do not treat a Recently Deleted recovery period as a backup.
To change an iCloud+ plan, go to System Settings → your name/Apple Account → iCloud → Manage Plan and follow the onscreen steps. Sonoma may show Change Storage Plan after Manage Plan. The available plans and prices depend on your region and can change, so check the offer shown in your account. Apple’s iCloud+ purchase and upgrade guide explains the plan process.
Find iCloud Drive files in Finder
iCloud Drive is a storage and syncing service, not a standalone app in the Applications folder. Open Finder and look for iCloud Drive in the sidebar. If it is not visible, check Finder’s sidebar settings. You can also access supported iCloud services at iCloud.com.
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A file in iCloud Drive may be stored locally, still downloading, or available only from the cloud until opened. A cloud-status icon can indicate that a file needs to download, and opening it may require an internet connection. With Desktop & Documents syncing enabled, the Mac’s Desktop and Documents folders are stored in iCloud Drive and can appear on other devices signed in to the same Apple Account.
Turn on iCloud Drive and Desktop & Documents
- Open System Settings → your name/Apple Account → iCloud.
- Select Drive or iCloud Drive.
- Enable Sync this Mac, if it is not already on.
- Turn on Desktop & Documents Folders if you want those folders included.
Enabling Desktop & Documents moves their syncing into iCloud Drive, makes the files available across devices using the same account, and uses iCloud storage. Check that your account has room before enabling it, particularly if those folders contain large files. Apple explains the setup in its guide to adding Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Before turning off iCloud Drive or Desktop & Documents
Do not assume that turning off syncing downloads every cloud file to the Mac. First open iCloud Drive in Finder, download or copy important files to a local folder, and confirm the copies open. Keep another copy of anything you cannot afford to lose.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Turning off Desktop & Documents syncing leaves the existing files in iCloud Drive and creates new local Desktop and Documents folders in your home folder; those new folders may initially be empty. You can copy files from iCloud Drive into them. If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out, macOS may offer to retain local data; a retained set may appear in your home folder as iCloud Drive (Archive). Check the retained files rather than assuming the archive contains everything you need. See Apple’s instructions for turning off Desktop & Documents folders.
Sign out of iCloud on the Mac
Signing out is broader than disabling one service: it stops iCloud syncing on this Mac and may prompt you about keeping or removing local copies. To do it, open Apple menu  → System Settings → your name/Apple Account, scroll down, select Sign Out, and follow the prompts. Before confirming, check that important files and data—including Photos, contacts, calendars, passwords, and messages—are available elsewhere or safely copied. Apple describes sign-out considerations in its guidance on iCloud app syncing and storing data securely in iCloud.
iCloud syncing is not a complete Mac backup
iCloud synchronizes selected categories and stores files or other data in the cloud. iCloud Drive synchronizes files; iCloud Photos synchronizes a Photos library and media. Neither turning on iCloud nor signing in to iCloud should be treated as a complete backup of the Mac, including its system and all files. Keep a separate backup strategy for recovering from device loss, damage, accidental deletion, or a sync mistake.
If iCloud is not syncing
- Confirm the Mac is connected to the internet.
- Check that the expected Apple Account is signed in.
- Check iCloud storage; if it is full, uploads and syncing may stall.
- Open the relevant service in iCloud settings and confirm its Mac sync control is on.
- Give pending uploads or downloads time to finish, then reopen the affected app or restart the Mac.
- If a work or school Mac blocks a setting, contact its administrator.
Avoid repeatedly switching a service off and on before confirming important data exists elsewhere. If you need only browser access to supported services, iCloud.com may be an alternative to changing the Mac’s sync settings.
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