Could icon next to files and folders?

[Kulfon]

Folks,
I have the new MBP 14" with M1 Max. I started noticing that today next to folders and files on my desktop there is a small cloud icon. What does it mean? is it part of any latest update? If yes and it if means that things are being saved to cloud and not HD, is there a way for me to disable it? Do not want anything to be in cloud. Thanks!

 

[hg.wells]

Sounds like you have iCloud Drive enabled for your Desktop & Documents folder.

Have a read through this article:

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

Learn how to share your files from your Mac Desktop and Documents folders to all of your devices with iCloud Drive.

support.apple.com

 

[Kulfon]

Looks like. I turned it off and now all the desktop files are gone. Need to find a way to restore and still have the drive off

 

[Mike Boreham]

Looks like. I turned it off and now all the desktop files are gone. Need to find a way to restore and still have the drive off

As it says in the article above, when you turned "Desktop and Documents in iCloud" off all your Desktop and Documents files should have been put in a iCloud archive folder in your user directory. You can now move them from there wherever you want, including to your user/Desktop folder, and they will appear on your Desktop, but not be on iCloud.