How can I delete icloud from my computer without losing files

Hello,

My name is Nada an independent advisor, and I'm here to help you.

I'm sorry that you are experiencing this issue, and I will try my best to assist you.

If you want to have your files while deleting the iCloud application from your computer. Please take the following actions.

First download all your files if you didn’t, after that please disable iCloud Drive

Open the iCloud app on your computer and go to the "Options" menu next to iCloud Drive. Uncheck the box next to iCloud Drive to disable it. This will prevent new files from syncing to iCloud but will not remove any files that are already stored in iCloud.

Then Backup all your files to an external hard drive or any other available option: it is always recommended before making any major changes to backup files even if you are 100% sure that you will not lose your files. This is to ensure that you will not lose anything important.

By following these steps you can delete the icloud and have all your data.

Be careful. I lost many years worth of photos when I tried to stop using iCloud. I was so careful to make sure they were stored locally before I shut down iCloud. There was no way to tell which files were actually local and which ones were acting like a shortcut to an iCloud file. I spent hours and double and triple checked. The files all had identical ikons. I even checked that the total amount of storage in each folder was the same. But in the end, some files wouldn't open once I closed my iCloud account. I'm not seeing in this conversation that it's crystal clear how you can tell. So be very careful. I would disable iCloud without closing the account or deleting anything off iCloud. Then go off line - turn on airplane mode - and try opening each and every file to make sure it is able to open without being connected to iCloud. There is no visual difference between the ikon of a file that will open and a file that won't open. I'm never using iCloud or OneDrive. Not unless they can make it crystal clear and NEVER automatically remove things from my computer to "save me space".

Thanks for getting back to us.

If you uninstall the ICloud application from computer your Cloud ICloud data will not be deleted but your data which is locally stored in your computer in iCloud Drive Folder will be deleted. In order to keep the stored data locally you need to follow the below instructions.

As I stated before in my first reply if you want to keep your files from your iCloud drive to your computer locally. Please copy all the files from the iCloud drive folder to your local drive such as drive E or drive D or any other local drive. (If you don’t have enough space on your computer please use an external hard drive) Please keep in mind to perform this action before uninstalling the iCloud app.

In order to uninstall the iCloud application (after moving your data from the iCloud Drive folder to another local drive or external hard drive) please go to “Add or Remove Program” and search for iCloud>select>Uninstall.

Thank you.

What kind of sabotage is this?

When I installed iCloud on my windows PC, I put the iCloud Drive folder *ON* my external drive at D:\iCloud Drive. I then MOVED all the folders in my entire external drive, into the icloud drive folder, with a gigantic drag-and-drop. This then immediately made the icloud app get stuck forever on "initializing". So I need to, as some suggested, sign out of the icloud app and sign back in, to snap it out of YOUR GLITCH BY THE WAY (talking to Apple).

But now you're saying I can't sign out, because it will...

...wait for it...

DELETE ALL MY FILES IF I LOG OUT?

I drag and drop them into the iCloud folder. Not a single file got uploaded. It's about 700GB of files. I know the files are still on my external drive, because I see it in My Computer that the drive is still full. And now you're going to sabotage me with this threat that if I dare to sign out of iCloud, you'll DELETE all my files?

And your only solution is that I need to *COPY* the files to get them out of the iCloud drive?

I *MOVED* THEM to put them in there. Do you know what the difference is between a file move, and a file copy? I *MOVED* the files to get them into the icloud folder. It took literally one second to move them all into the iCloud folder. No copying anything. No addition 1TB of space required. Just an instantaneous move, that needed no time or additional space, to get the files into the icloud drive folder.

BUT TO GET THEM OUT... I HAVE TO *COPY* THEM?????

SO you're telling me I have to go get my keys, and my wallet, and GO BUY ANOTHER 1TB DRIVE JUST TO GET MY FILES BACK?

I don't *HAVE* 1TB of free space to make a copy of all the files!!!!!!

It's stuck on initializing. And it's maxing out my computer's processor, and making the fan noise. I can't stop it, can't uninstall it, can't sign out, can't nothing, only option is for me to go buy a new drive to fix your bug?

Where's the class action lawsuit? This is the free golden goose. All you lawyers out there looking at this.

I am trying to move files to an external hard drive so I can delete them off my Desktop, as my Mac storage is full.

I need to download them locally first, but I'm having trouble with this.

I am having trouble, as the files won't download from the drive because there is an automatic upload and Download happening as soon as I start up the computer.

Can I stop the automatic Up/Download so I can choose specific files to download locally?

Thanks