{"id":"icloud.will-storage-studio-rules-work-on-documents-synced-to-icloud","url":"/faq/icloud/will-storage-studio-rules-work-on-documents-synced-to-icloud","category":{"id":"icloud","title":"iCloud & iCloud Photos"},"subcategory":{"id":"desktop-and-documents","title":"Desktop & Documents in iCloud"},"question":"Will my Storage Studio rules still work on Documents if I sync it to iCloud?","alt_questions":["Rules stopped moving Documents after enabling iCloud","Free Up Space no longer relocates Documents","Storage Studio rules and iCloud Desktop & Documents","Turn on iCloud Documents with Storage Studio rules","Why did my Documents rule stop working?"],"short_answer":"No. Once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules skip it, because relocating iCloud files would look like deletions to iCloud. Either sync and use online-only, or keep it local and relocate folders to your fast drive.","answer_markdown":"No — once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules leave it alone. Every file there is now an iCloud file, and relocating iCloud files to an external drive would look to iCloud like they'd been deleted, which could remove them from your other devices.\n\nSo choose one approach per folder:\n\n- **Sync with iCloud** and save space with online-only files (Run Tuhi or Finder's Remove Download).\n- **Keep it local** and let Storage Studio relocate big, rarely used subfolders to your fast drive, with a shortcut left behind.\n\nFolders outside Desktop and Documents — for example a projects folder in your home folder — are unaffected and can still be relocated. See [rules and iCloud](/faq/icloud/why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive).","answer_html":"

No — once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules leave it alone. Every file there is now an iCloud file, and relocating iCloud files to an external drive would look to iCloud like they'd been deleted, which could remove them from your other devices.

\n

So choose one approach per folder:

\n\n

Folders outside Desktop and Documents — for example a projects folder in your home folder — are unaffected and can still be relocated. See rules and iCloud.

","answer_text":"No — once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules leave it alone. Every file there is now an iCloud file, and relocating iCloud files to an external drive would look to iCloud like they'd been deleted, which could remove them from your other devices.\n\nSo choose one approach per folder:\n\n- Sync with iCloud and save space with online-only files (Run Tuhi or Finder's Remove Download).\n- Keep it local and let Storage Studio relocate big, rarely used subfolders to your fast drive, with a shortcut left behind.\n\nFolders outside Desktop and Documents — for example a projects folder in your home folder — are unaffected and can still be relocated. See rules and iCloud.","tags":["rules","desktop and documents","icloud drive"],"related":[{"id":"icloud.why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive","question":"Why don't Storage Studio's rules move files that are in iCloud Drive?","url":"/faq/icloud/why-dont-storage-studio-rules-move-files-in-icloud-drive"},{"id":"icloud.my-documents-folder-is-in-icloud-how-do-i-free-space","question":"My Documents folder syncs to iCloud — how do I free up the space it uses?","url":"/faq/icloud/my-documents-folder-is-in-icloud-how-do-i-free-space"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Will my Storage Studio rules still work on Documents if I sync it to iCloud? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"No. Once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules skip it, because relocating iCloud files would look like deletions to iCloud. Either sync and use online-only, or keep it local and relocate folders to your fast drive.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"iCloud & iCloud Photos","path":"/faq/icloud/"},{"name":"Will my Storage Studio rules still work on Documents if I sync it to iCloud?","path":"/faq/icloud/will-storage-studio-rules-work-on-documents-synced-to-icloud"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/will-storage-studio-rules-work-on-documents-synced-to-icloud","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Will my Storage Studio rules still work on Documents if I sync it to iCloud?","alternateName":["Rules stopped moving Documents after enabling iCloud","Free Up Space no longer relocates Documents","Storage Studio rules and iCloud Desktop & Documents","Turn on iCloud Documents with Storage Studio rules","Why did my Documents rule stop working?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No — once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules leave it alone. Every file there is now an iCloud file, and relocating iCloud files to an external drive would look to iCloud like they'd been deleted, which could remove them from your other devices.\n\nSo choose one approach per folder:\n\n- Sync with iCloud and save space with online-only files (Run Tuhi or Finder's Remove Download).\n- Keep it local and let Storage Studio relocate big, rarely used subfolders to your fast drive, with a shortcut left behind.\n\nFolders outside Desktop and Documents — for example a projects folder in your home folder — are unaffected and can still be relocated. See rules and iCloud.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/icloud/will-storage-studio-rules-work-on-documents-synced-to-icloud"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

iCloud & iCloud Photos · Desktop & Documents in iCloud

\n

Will my Storage Studio rules still work on Documents if I sync it to iCloud?

\n

Short answer: No. Once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules skip it, because relocating iCloud files would look like deletions to iCloud. Either sync and use online-only, or keep it local and relocate folders to your fast drive.

\n

No — once Documents syncs to iCloud, Storage Studio's rules leave it alone. Every file there is now an iCloud file, and relocating iCloud files to an external drive would look to iCloud like they'd been deleted, which could remove them from your other devices.

\n

So choose one approach per folder:

\n
  • Sync with iCloud and save space with online-only files (Run Tuhi or Finder's Remove Download).
  • Keep it local and let Storage Studio relocate big, rarely used subfolders to your fast drive, with a shortcut left behind.
\n

Folders outside Desktop and Documents — for example a projects folder in your home folder — are unaffected and can still be relocated. See rules and iCloud.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}