How to remove file without downloading icloud

So disregard that previous reply and focus on this one, please. I turned off iCloud Drive. I couldn't access anything in Files app, only the message "Turn on iCloud Drive. Back in Files app I saw no iCloud Drive files. I think it just needed time to sync. The prompt said they would be removed from my iPhone, but not from iCloud itself.

I chose the option. POOF the But not. Now in Files app my files appear. But they will not open. I can see them all in thumbnail form, curiously, but not when I click them to open. I deleted Files app twice, waited for it to sync, and got the same results. I waited overnight: same. A search "my files in Files app will not open" turns up lots of irrelevant information, all about how to use Files app as if it works.

Modified searches are the same. More Less. Communities Get Support. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. From that page: Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra can save space by storing your content in the cloud and making it available on demand.

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In the meantime, I used my iPad normally, including downloading a movie. All Rights Reserved. MacOS Todd Mavis. Gary Rosenzweig. Related Video Tutorials: No related posts. Welcome to MacMost Find out how you can become one of the more than 1, people that support MacMost. Learn more about the Patreon campaign!

Free Weekly Newsletter Want all of the new tutorials in your inbox? Sign up for the free weekly newsletter that includes tips, recommendations and news. Unfortunately this workaround removes everything that has been downloaded altogether, but at least I was able to recover the space. If in the future if for some reason I need a local copy of a file I had previously downloaded , I will have to download it again, which in my case does not seem to be a great deal.

So, in the iCloud Drive app, look for a video or pdf file that when opening it does not ask you to download it. That is a file that has already been downloaded and resides as a local copy on your iOS devices. Take note of the location and name of that file. I hope this helps, although again, this is by no means the way things should work in the first place, but for me it was better that being stuck with a bunch of files I did not need on my iPad anymore. Oct 8, AM. Page content loaded.

Sep 27, AM. Sep 27, AM in response to zinacef In response to zinacef. That is precisely the issue - I want to delete the local copy from my iOS device, but keep the copy on the iCloud drive. The iOS device will not keep a local copy, it will reside in iCloud and if you remove it from there, it will be removed from all devices as iCloud is a syncing service, i.

I did a simple experiment say says a local copy is retained. I opened a file on my iPhone - it had to download the first time. Next I turned my WiFi off. Rebooted my iPhone. Returned to the document and it was still viewable. That suggests to me the document is available on my iPhone.

Assuming this process deletes one local copy, it seems to me the process would delete all local copies. The only thing you need it a computer and this program and you are good to go. Download the installer on your Windows or Mac PC. After downloading, run the installation and launch the program. Choose Unlock Apple ID. Connect your phone to the PC. Make sure that the connection is secure. Unlock the screen and tap Trust to allow the connection. Unlocking your device is easy.

There is no need to worry even when your phone is off or if Find My iPhone is on, making the process smooth and extremely convenient. This way, you are sure that no matter the state of your device is, you can revert it back to a fresh condition, software-wise. With the use of 3uTools, managing your phone or tablet becomes much easier. So, grab these programs now to make your iOS experience a lot more pleasant.