---
id: icloud_sync_disable
title: Disable iCloud Desktop and Document Folder Sync
discussion: |
  The macOS system's ability to automatically synchronize a user's desktop and documents folder to their iCloud Drive _MUST_ be disabled.

  Apple's iCloud service does not provide an organization with enough control over the storage and access of data and, therefore, automated file synchronization _MUST_ be controlled by an organization approved service.
references:
  nist:
    cce:
      macos_27:
        - CCE-XXXXX-X
      macos_26:
        - CCE-95153-3
      macos_15:
        - CCE-94153-4
      macos_14:
        - CCE-92754-1
    800-53r5:
      - AC-20
      - AC-20(1)
      - CM-7
      - CM-7(1)
      - SC-7(10)
    800-171r3:
      - 03.01.20
      - 03.04.06
  disa:
    cci:
      - CCI-000381
    srg:
      - SRG-OS-000095-GPOS-00049
    disa_stig:
      macos_26:
        - APPL-26-002150
      macos_15:
        - APPL-15-002150
      macos_14:
        - APPL-14-002150
    cmmc:
      - AC.L1-3.1.20
      - CM.L2-3.4.6
      - CM.L2-3.4.7
  bzk:
    bio:
      - 8.12
      - 8.27
  hhs:
    hicp:
      - 2.L.B
      - 4.L.A
      - 4.L.B
  cis:
    benchmark:
      macos_26:
        - 2.1.1.3 (level 2)
      macos_15:
        - 2.1.1.3 (level 2)
      macos_14:
        - 2.1.1.3 (level 2)
    controls_v8:
      - 4.1
      - 4.8
      - 15.3
platforms:
  macOS:
    '27.0': {}
    '26.0':
      benchmarks:
        - name: cis_lvl2
        - name: disa_stig
          severity: medium
        - name: nlmapgov_plus
    '15.0':
      benchmarks:
        - name: cis_lvl2
        - name: disa_stig
          severity: medium
        - name: nlmapgov_plus
    enforcement_info:
      check:
        shell: |-
          /usr/bin/osascript -l JavaScript << EOS
          $.NSUserDefaults.alloc.initWithSuiteName('com.apple.applicationaccess')\
          .objectForKey('allowCloudDesktopAndDocuments').js
          EOS
        result:
          string: 'false'
    introduced: 10.12.4
tags:
  - 800-53r5_low
  - 800-53r5_moderate
  - 800-53r5_high
  - 800-171
  - cisv8
  - cnssi-1253_low
  - cnssi-1253_high
  - cmmc_lvl2
  - cmmc_lvl1
  - cnssi-1253_moderate
  - hicp_lp
mobileconfig_info:
  - PayloadType: com.apple.applicationaccess
    PayloadContent:
      - allowCloudDesktopAndDocuments: false
