iCloud downloading everything onto my SSD

[KevinRS]

Hi all,

Today Big Sur started to download all my files from my iCloud drive onto my SSD, I've gone from 506 GB left on the SSD to currently 392 GB left. At the rate this is going I'll have absolutely no space left on my SSD. Does anyone have any advice, I can't stop the download. I've rebooted and it has made no difference, it says I still have around 500 GB left to download.

 

[Oz.]

right click > remove download

 

[KevinRS]

right click > remove download

I have right clicked on items and used the remove download option.

Although the space on my SSD is slowly but surely dropping, I can't actually see any of the files that have supposedly been downloaded onto my Mac anywhere but on the iCloud drive itself. I have the 2TB option and have filled around 500 GB and have had no problems with it until today.

Where would the files be located on my Mac once they've been downloaded, I've checked the downloads folder and that doesn't look any different to yesterday. I do have the option to store Desktop and Documents in iCloud checked, but that's worked for me right from the start. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well.

 

[IowaLynn]

Your iCloud in Finder sidebar. Turn off keep photos/files on Mac, you may need to allow iCould to manage. iCould settings.

 

[bradbomb]

Here's the thing, iCloud Drive will always try and download as many files that you regularly use as possible. However, it shouldn't count towards your space on your SSD. If you are downloading or saving something on your drive elsewhere that needs more space, it should automatically purge the local copies of iCloud Drive

 

[KevinRS]

It's actually still downloading, down to 357 GB, it says its downloaded 95 GB of 457 GB, can't find what's been downloaded though. I've had no problems with it and have been using it for quite a while, since 2014 according to the receipts I've kept from Apple which is why I'm so surprised at what is happening now.