Where are all my documents now stored? I didn’t see them when I opened up the Finder icon located on the bottom Dock that used to have a Document icon. That icon disappeared.

Most new Mac computers should now store your documents on the iCloud Drive or in the Cloud. That’s great… but how did they get there? If you click on the Apple icon at the top left, choose System Preferences and click on the iCloud icon, a menu pops up with iCloud Drive at the top. A checkmark means it’s turned on, and that all of your documents that were displayed on the now nonexistent document folder you had on your Finder icon now exist on the iCloud Drive or in the Cloud.

Next to the iCloud Drive icon is “Options,” so click on it. Another menu will pop up that should have Desktop & Documents Folders checked, which then means that all your documents can be stored there. But let’s say that you want to save a really important divorce document only on your computer and not on the iCloud or iCloud Drive. Well, it’s easier than calling up your lawyer.

If you click on the Finder icon located on the bottom of the Dock and scroll down on the left-hand side, there might be a House-looking icon that probably has your user name on it. Not there? Well, let’s put the House icon on there then. Don’t freak out! I’m going to walk you through all of this.

Click on the Finder menu on the top left and choose Preferences, Sidebar, and scroll down; go ahead and put a checkmark in all the boxes. Now your House icon appears when you click on the Finder icon located at the bottom of the Dock. Wow, we got that done, so let’s continue to create a special document folder, so your secret docs won’t be put on the iCloud. Ready? It’s not going to be hard to do now that we have your House icon showing.

So, go ahead and click on Finder on the bottom Dock and click on your House. A bunch of blue folders show up; we’re going to add another, a new one, and let’s call it “My Special Docs.” To do this, just click on File at the top left of the screen, click on New Folder and give it the name “My Special Docs.”

Here is how to save your secret doc there. Open up your secret file, and when it opens up, click on File at the top left and click on SAVE AS. A menu pops open; click on the blue up and down arrows next to the word “Where.” Choose your House icon, and the file is saved only to your House folder.

But wait it’s not yet saved in my new “My Special Docs” folder. No problem. Just open up Finder on the bottom and click on your House icon. It opens up showing all the folders and your secret file. Just drag and drop that secret doc file to the “My Special Doc” folder.

This may seem like a lot of procedures, but in the end, you have a special place to store all your docs and even pics that won’t show up on the Cloud. Because opening up a large file from the Cloud, you basically have to re-download it to your computer, and it could take quite awhile. But if it’s already on your computer under the new folder you created, it won’t take as long to bring it up. Another thing about the iCloud drive is that all your files are shared on all your devices, like the iPhone, iPad, laptop or desktop.

Send your computer-related questions to mauimist8669@yahoo.com.