The following method works for both versions of iCloud for Windows - the traditional desktop app and the Microsoft Store app. You only have to do this once, and the whole process of shifting the default iCloud Drive storage location and recouping space on the primary partition is worth the trouble. That removes all iCloud files from your computer, but they will be re-downloaded later after you re-activate iCloud Drive.

Before you create the symbolic link, you must turn off iCloud Drive. Uploads and downloads will function as usual, and you won’t even notice a difference. That helps you free up space otherwise used by iCloud Drive on the primary partition. You create a symbolic link for the default iCloud Drive location and point it to a folder present on another partition or drive. Sounds fascinating, right?Īnd that’s what we will use to shift the location that iCloud Drive uses to download and sync your data as well. The dummy folder works just like a real folder, but any files that are copied into it are actually saved to the folder that it’s linked to. Otherwise known as symlinks, this native Windows functionality allows you to create a dummy folder and link it to a folder present in another location. Symbolic Links to the RescueĪ while back, I wrote about changing the default iTunes backup location in Windows 10.

Let me start by explaining how the process works, and then follow up by walking you through the whole process step by step.

Create symlink for google drive windows