---
id: icloud.how-do-i-exclude-a-folder-from-icloud-drive
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-exclude-a-folder-from-icloud-drive
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud Drive basics"
question: "Can I stop iCloud Drive syncing one folder?"
alt_questions:
  - "Exclude folder from iCloud sync"
  - "Keep a folder in Documents out of iCloud"
  - "Don't sync specific folder iCloud Drive"
  - "icloud drive selective sync mac"
short_answer: "Not directly: iCloud Drive syncs everything inside it and has no official per-folder exclusion. Move the folder out of iCloud Drive (and out of synced Desktop and Documents) to another home-folder location or an external drive."
tags: ["icloud drive", "exclude", "sync"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-keep-an-icloud-folder-always-downloaded", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/should-i-keep-code-or-databases-in-icloud-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-delete-files-from-icloud-drive-but-keep-them-on-my-mac"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Can I stop iCloud Drive syncing one folder?

Not directly — iCloud Drive syncs everything inside it, and there's no official way to exclude one folder. To keep a folder local only, move it **out** of iCloud Drive (and out of Desktop and Documents, if those sync) to another folder in your home folder or to an external drive.

The opposite — keeping a synced folder always on your Mac — is possible with **Keep Downloaded**; see [keeping an iCloud folder downloaded](https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-keep-an-icloud-folder-always-downloaded).