Mobile Documents

What is Mobile Documents?

Mobile Documents is a macOS Library folder used by iCloud Drive to store files that sync between your Mac and your other Apple devices. It can contain your iCloud Drive documents, app-specific document folders, and data from features such as Desktop & Documents syncing when that option is enabled. On many Macs, this folder includes subfolders created by Apple apps and third-party apps that save documents to iCloud. Although the folder lives inside your user Library, its contents are part of your cloud-sync workflow rather than ordinary local app support data. Users usually encounter it indirectly through Finder’s iCloud Drive view instead of opening the folder by hand.

Safety overview

Status: Use with caution

This folder is tied to iCloud Drive and may contain documents that are actively syncing with your Apple Account. Deleting files here can remove access to those documents on this Mac and may also affect synced copies visible on your other devices, depending on iCloud status and recent sync activity. If Desktop & Documents is enabled in iCloud settings, important everyday files may also be stored through this location. Review the contents in Finder through iCloud Drive before changing anything, and make sure needed files are fully downloaded and backed up first.

Recommendation: Keep this folder if you use iCloud Drive, save files from Apple apps, or sync Desktop and Documents across devices. If you want to free space, remove unneeded files from iCloud Drive in Finder or change iCloud storage settings instead of deleting the Mobile Documents folder itself. Only consider cleanup after confirming which files are stored there and how they sync to your other devices.

File path

• ~/Library/Mobile Documents

Related apps

• iCloud Drive
• Finder

Related processes

• bird

Related can I delete pages

• ~/Library/CloudStorage

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