What do iCloud Drive cloud icons mean?

[DaveF]

Does anyone know what these cloud icons mean? I turned on iCloud Drive and Desktop & Documents Folders, and now everything is in icloud AFAICT. But a couple weeks afterwards, a few folders have these persistent cloud icons. I can't find documentation anywhere on this, particularly from Apple. (iCloud Drive seems to be a black box as far as Apple explains it to users.)

Any help? Is something broken or wrong? Do I need to do something to make syncing finish? I've got plenty of storage in iCloud.

Thanks!

 

[Apple_Robert]

As far as I am aware, if you see the cloud icon, that means the actual file is in the cloud and a copy does bot reside on the device you are viewing iCloud Drive from. Once you download the file, you shouldn’t see the cloud icon.

 

[DaveF]

As far as I am aware, if you see the cloud icon, that means the actual file is in the cloud and a copy does bot reside on the device you are viewing iCloud Drive from. Once you download the file, you shouldn’t see the cloud icon.

The file was on the iMac originally. It should never have been deleted and re-downloaded during the iCloud upload process.

I disconnected the network (turned off wifi, unplugged the ethernet cable) and I could still access the file.

In any case, any idea how to force the download, or at least get iCloud Drive to do what it thinks is not yet done?

 

[mikzn]

My thoughts are the same as Apple_Roberts - clicking on the cloud downloads the files

That said, my icons show a little arrow to indicate a need to download the file - I can't see that on your screen shot - maybe its the same thing?

Also when I hover over the cloud with the mouse - there is a text pop up that says "In the cloud"

 

[DaveF]

Ah. If I hover, it says "Uploading". It's been "uploading" for over a week now.

 

[DaveF]

And if I go to Files on my iPad, everything in those folders appears to be online. 🤷‍♂️

 

[planteater]

At the bottom of this link, there is a symbol explanation for iCould Drive status.

iCloud drive icons: What do they mean? - Apple Community

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