---
id: icloud.why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive
category: "iCloud & iCloud Photos"
subcategory: "iCloud and external drives"
question: "Why don't Storage Studio's rules move files that are in iCloud Drive?"
alt_questions:
  - "Rules skip iCloud folders"
  - "Free Up Space ignores my iCloud Documents"
  - "Storage Studio won't relocate iCloud files"
  - "Why are iCloud files left on my Mac after Free Up Space?"
  - "Auto rules skip cloud folders"
  - "skip cloud storage studio"
short_answer: "Moving iCloud files to another drive would look like a deletion to iCloud's sync, so Storage Studio's rules skip iCloud Drive (and synced Desktop & Documents). Use online-only for iCloud files instead."
tags: ["rules", "icloud drive", "free up space"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/can-i-move-my-icloud-drive-folder-to-an-external-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/how-do-i-include-icloud-in-free-up-space", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/my-documents-folder-is-in-icloud-how-do-i-free-space"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Why don't Storage Studio's rules move files that are in iCloud Drive?

On purpose. Files inside iCloud Drive belong to iCloud's sync, and moving them to another drive with a shortcut left behind would make iCloud see them as deleted or changed — which can remove them from your other devices or start a flood of re-syncing. So Storage Studio's rules skip anything in iCloud Drive, in other cloud folders, and in Desktop and Documents when those are synced to iCloud.

For iCloud the right tool is online-only: tap **Run Tuhi**, whose cloud step frees large downloaded files, or right-click a folder in Finder and choose **Remove Download**.

If a folder doesn't need to sync, you can move it out of iCloud Drive first, then relocate it to your fast drive with Data Parking.