Change iCloud preferences for your Apple ID on Mac

On your Mac, use iCloud preferences to select the iCloud features you want and manage iCloud storage. Learn how to set up your Apple ID iCloud settings.

Apple ID preferences showing a sidebar of different types of account options you can use and the iCloud preferences for an existing account.

To change these preferences, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select iCloud in the sidebar.

Open Apple ID preferences for me

Option	Description
Apps on this Mac using iCloud	Select the iCloud features you want to use. The following features have an Options button or a Details button: iCloud Drive: If iCloud Drive is turned on, click Options to select: Whether to store your desktop and documents folders in iCloud Drive. See Use iCloud Drive to store documents on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Which apps store data in iCloud Drive. Which apps let other people look you up by your Apple ID. Photos: If iCloud Photos is turned on, click Options to turn the following features on or off: iCloud Photos: See Use iCloud Photos to store photos in iCloud. Shared Albums: See What are Shared Albums? Keychain: If Keychain is turned on and an Options button appears, click it to change: Whether your iCloud Security Code can be used to approve iCloud Keychain on new devices The iCloud Security Code and the phone number used to verify your identity after you use the iCloud Security Code If “Waiting for approval” appears below Keychain, click Options to enter your iCloud Security Code instead of approving this Mac from another device. If there isn’t an Options button next to Keychain, your Apple ID is set up for two-factor authentication. With two-factor authentication, your account can only be accessed on devices you trust. When you want to sign in to a new device for the first time, you need to provide two pieces of information—your password and the six-digit verification code that’s automatically displayed on your trusted devices. Find My Mac: If “Location Services is off” appears below Find My Mac, click Details, then follow the onscreen instructions so you can locate this Mac. See Set up Find My on Mac.
Optimize Mac Storage	You can store the full contents of iCloud Drive on your Mac if there is enough disk space. Older document are stored only in iCloud when disk space is needed. See the Apple Support article How to free up storage space on your Mac
Manage	Manage your iCloud storage. You can: Change your iCloud storage plan Remove an iOS and iPadOS device backup Remove photos and videos from iCloud that you no longer need Remove documents and data that you no longer need

Option

Description

Apps on this Mac using iCloud

Select the iCloud features you want to use. The following features have an Options button or a Details button:

iCloud Drive: If iCloud Drive is turned on, click Options to select:

Whether to store your desktop and documents folders in iCloud Drive. See Use iCloud Drive to store documents on your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Which apps store data in iCloud Drive.
Which apps let other people look you up by your Apple ID.

Photos: If iCloud Photos is turned on, click Options to turn the following features on or off:

iCloud Photos: See Use iCloud Photos to store photos in iCloud.
Shared Albums: See What are Shared Albums?

Keychain: If Keychain is turned on and an Options button appears, click it to change:

Whether your iCloud Security Code can be used to approve iCloud Keychain on new devices
The iCloud Security Code and the phone number used to verify your identity after you use the iCloud Security Code

If “Waiting for approval” appears below Keychain, click Options to enter your iCloud Security Code instead of approving this Mac from another device.

If there isn’t an Options button next to Keychain, your Apple ID is set up for two-factor authentication. With two-factor authentication, your account can only be accessed on devices you trust. When you want to sign in to a new device for the first time, you need to provide two pieces of information—your password and the six-digit verification code that’s automatically displayed on your trusted devices.

Find My Mac: If “Location Services is off” appears below Find My Mac, click Details, then follow the onscreen instructions so you can locate this Mac. See Set up Find My on Mac.

Optimize Mac Storage

You can store the full contents of iCloud Drive on your Mac if there is enough disk space. Older document are stored only in iCloud when disk space is needed. See the Apple Support article How to free up storage space on your Mac

Manage

Manage your iCloud storage. You can:

Change your iCloud storage plan
Remove an iOS and iPadOS device backup
Remove photos and videos from iCloud that you no longer need
Remove documents and data that you no longer need

Helpful?

macOS User Guide

Change iCloud preferences for your Apple ID on Mac