For years, macOS users relying on iCloud Drive faced a frustrating storage optimisation behaviour: when local storage became constrained, macOS would automatically offload downloaded files to the cloud, replacing local copies with dataless placeholders. Opening an offloaded presentation or document while commuting or during an internet outage resulted in unreadable files. With macOS Sequoia, Apple finally introduced the Keep Downloaded feature, allowing users to permanently pin specific files and folders offline.
How Keep Downloaded Differs from Standard Downloads
Previously, double-clicking a cloud icon or right-clicking and selecting Download Now only downloaded the file temporarily. Under background APFS low-space heuristics, macOS retained the right to purge that local cache at any moment. The new Keep Downloaded directive instructs macOS that the selected content must remain physically present on your internal drive permanently, exempting it from automated cache eviction algorithms.
Pinning Files and Folders Permanently Offline in Finder
Configuring permanent local copies in macOS Sequoia is straightforward directly within Finder:
- Open Finder and navigate to iCloud Drive from the left sidebar.
- Locate the file, directory, or project folder you require guaranteed offline access to.
- Right-click (or Control-click) the target item to open the contextual menu.
- Select Keep Downloaded.
- Finder immediately begins syncing any un-cached assets. Once complete, the file remains fully accessible regardless of your Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity.
Managing Storage and Removing Downloaded Pins
Should you eventually need to reclaim internal storage space on your Mac, removing the permanent pin is equally seamless:
- Removing Downloaded Status: Right-click the pinned file or folder and choose Remove Download. The file immediately transitions to an online-only cloud placeholder, freeing up physical SSD storage while remaining fully visible in your file hierarchy.
- Whole Folder Inheritance: Applying Keep Downloaded to a parent folder automatically applies the persistent offline status to every nested subfolder and file created inside it in the future.
By taking advantage of Keep Downloaded in macOS Sequoia, remote professionals, students, and frequent travellers can ensure mission-critical documents and working assets remain completely dependable offline.