---
id: icloud.does-freeing-icloud-files-on-my-mac-affect-my-other-devices
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-freeing-icloud-files-on-my-mac-affect-my-other-devices
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "Online-only files and Optimize Mac Storage"
question: "Does making files online-only on my Mac affect my iPhone or other Macs?"
alt_questions:
  - "Online-only on Mac changes iPhone?"
  - "Will Remove Download remove files from my iPad?"
  - "Is online-only per device?"
  - "Does freeing iCloud space on one Mac affect others?"
  - "Run Tuhi online-only other devices"
short_answer: "No. Online-only is per device: freeing a file's local copy on this Mac doesn't change it on your iPhone, iPad, other Macs or iCloud.com. Only deleting a file from iCloud Drive affects every device."
tags: ["online-only", "devices", "icloud drive"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-deleting-an-online-only-file-delete-it-from-icloud", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/will-i-lose-icloud-files-if-i-make-them-online-only"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Does making files online-only on my Mac affect my iPhone or other Macs?

No. Online-only is decided separately on each device. Freeing a file's local copy on this Mac doesn't remove or change it on your iPhone, iPad, other Macs or iCloud.com — they keep whatever they had downloaded.

That's what makes it a safe way to save space: Storage Studio's **Run Tuhi** cloud step, **Free up** in Storage Profile and Finder's **Remove Download** only affect this Mac.

Deleting is different: a file deleted from iCloud Drive is deleted everywhere. See [delete versus online-only](https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/does-deleting-an-online-only-file-delete-it-from-icloud).