Level 3 (694 points)

Cannot remove localized versions of iCloud Drive files

I have several iCloud Drive files with localized versions on my home drive. I want to remove them as they are taking up too much space and I don't need them right now. But I get an error message when I choose "Remove Download."

I have no idea what "resource" is busy.

Posted on Oct 24, 2026 10:45 AM

2 replies

WheelieNick

Level 9 (74,110 points)

Nov 6, 2026 7:28 AM in response to WilliamL

Try this

1. Relaunch Finder

Often, Finder's context menu action gets stuck on a stale state

Press Option + Command + Esc on your keyboard.
Select Finder and click Relaunch.

2. Check "Optimize Mac Storage"

Ensure macOS is permitted to handle local purging automatically:

Open System Settings > click your Apple Account (Apple ID) at the top > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
Verify that Optimize Mac Storage is turned on. If it was off, turn it on and give macOS a few moments to re-evaluate local space.

3. Quit Background Apps Using the Files

If a specific application (like Pages, Word, or a cloud helper) is holding the file open:

Open Activity Monitor (via Spotlight or Applications > Utilities).
Search for the name of the file or the app associated with it, and force-quit any related processes if safe to do so.
Try right-clicking the file in Finder and choosing Remove Download again.

WilliamL Author

Level 3 (694 points)

Nov 6, 2026 8:18 AM in response to WheelieNick

Thanks for writing back with all the suggestions; however I am sorry to say that none worked. One of the file types that I am having problems with is "pdfs." Another are Pages documents. Checking the Activity Monitor I know for a fact that Pages is NOT running. This is not a new problem. It has existed, for me, for several MacOS versions.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256382217