problem with icloud files stored locally sonoma

G Martin wrote: … so if i turn off "Optimize Mac Storage" then all the files will reside only on my laptop?

No. iCloud Drive is a synchronization service. Its purpose is to make files available on all your devices. With iCloud Drive, you can work on a file on your Mac, then work it some more on the iPad. Any files in the iCloud Drive on your Mac are also at iCloud.com, and also in iCloud Drive on our iPad. If you turn off "Optimize," on your Mac, then, after a while, no files will be only at iCloud, but rather they will be identical both on your Mac and at iCloud.com. Optimize can be used on each device separately. I don't have "Optimize" enabled on my Mac, but I do on my iPhone.

If you turn off Optimize, the transition likely won't happen immediately--it might take a while for it to get done. But if you turn off "Optimize," and then click on any files that have the

"only in iCloud" icon, then those will download and stay on your Mac while they also remain at iCloud.

If you don't want some files to be shared through iCloud, then you can move them out of your iCloud Drive, Then they will exist on your Mac, only.

I was showing the Finder window for iCloud, in list mode, rather than

icon mode.

I see that you have "Optimize Mac Storage" turned on, and that makes things a bit more complicated. Some files may be removed from your Mac to save storage space. However, when you click on them, they will be pulled to your Mac from iCloud. Check your Mac storage to be sure you have enough room.

Mobile Documents is just another name for iCloud Drive folder. There are all kinds of support documents for it, catalogs and stuff, and they use the alternate name.

If you do not have "Optimize Storage" turned on, then (unless you've specifically specified otherwise) the files in the iCloud Drive folder are on your Mac. The status of each file is shown in Finder:

In my case, I told iCloud Drive to keep "Album" always downloaded on my Mac, and I designated Rainbow to be kept off my Mac unless I clicked on it. (A photoslibrary isn't allowed in iCloud.) The other files are on my Mac (in the iCloud Drive folder,) and they are also at iCloud Drive at iCloud.com. If I want my file IMG_0109.heic, for instance, to not be at iCloud.com, then I would drag it from my iCloud Drive folder to some other folder on my Mac.

Here's the rule: if it's in the iCloud Drive folder, then it's (also) at iCloud.com. If it's not in the iCloud Drive Folder, then it's not at iCloud.com.

If you have "Optimize Storage" turned on, then some files (as shown in the Status column) may be removed from the Mac to provide extra room. Nonetheless, if you drag that file to another folder, out of the iCloud Drive folder, then it will be copied to your Mac and removed from iCloud.com.

G Martin wrote: … what does the cloud icon without the arrow indicate? what does the cloud Icon WITH the arrow mean? (the cloud icon on my ipad shows the cloud with the arrow.)

From my first response:

A file like IMB_0109, with an open cloud, is both on the local Mac's iCloud Drive and also iCloud Drive at iCloud.com.

A file like Rainbow.jpg, with a cloud and a down arrow, is at iCloud.com, and it is only linked by the device-- not taking up space locally. This can happen if you have "Optimize Storage" turned on and, to save space locally, it is not being kept in the device's own storage. Clicking on this file will download it to the local device, and it will stay downloaded until you or the device choose to remove it. With Mac Sequoia, It can be removed using a sub-menu in the local iCloud Drive.

A file like "…Album" is at iCloud.com, but it's never allowed to be removed from the local drive.

A file like "New Library.phtosolibrary" with a cloud and a slash through it, is not allowed to be used in iCloud Drive.