Open Pages, Numbers, or Keynote and start a new document, and Apple quietly saves it to iCloud Drive. That default is handy for syncing across devices, but not everyone wants every spreadsheet and presentation uploaded to the cloud — especially work files, heavy Keynote decks, or drafts you’d rather keep on one machine.
The good news: you can switch off iCloud saving for each iWork app individually, on both Mac and iPhone, without affecting anything else. Here’s how to take back control and keep new documents local.
Turn off iCloud sync on Mac (macOS Ventura and later)
- Open System Settings and click your name at the top of the sidebar.
- Choose iCloud, then click iCloud Drive.
- Look for “Apps syncing to iCloud Drive” and expand the list.
- Toggle off Pages, Numbers, and Keynote — each has its own switch, so you can disable one, two, or all three.
From now on, the apps you switched off will default to saving on your Mac instead of iCloud. Apple documents the iCloud Drive setup in its iCloud Drive guide.
Turn off iCloud sync on older Macs
Still on macOS Monterey or earlier? The path is slightly different:
- Open System Preferences and click Apple ID.
- Select iCloud in the sidebar, then click Options next to iCloud Drive.
- Uncheck Pages, Numbers, and Keynote in the apps list, then click Done.
Turn off iCloud sync on iPhone and iPad
- Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Tap iCloud.
- Find Pages, Numbers, and Keynote in the apps list and switch each one off.
With sync disabled, new documents stay in the “On My iPhone” (or “On My iPad”) location. If you sync other things between devices too, our guide on setting up message sync between iPhone and Mac covers the iCloud settings on both sides.
Save new documents locally
Even with sync still on, you can choose where each file goes. When saving, pick “On My Mac” (or “On My iPhone/iPad”) in the save dialog instead of iCloud Drive. Make it a habit and your files stay local by default.
Move existing documents out of iCloud Drive
Already have files in the cloud? No need to recreate them:
- Open Finder (Mac) or the Files app (iPhone/iPad) and go to iCloud Drive.
- Open the Pages, Numbers, or Keynote folder.
- Drag the documents to a local folder — “On My Mac” in Finder, or “On My iPhone/iPad” in Files.
For more Mac file-management tricks, see how to quickly open the installed apps list in macOS 26 and how to mute Mail notifications for specific contacts in macOS.
If it still doesn’t work
- Turning off sync doesn’t delete anything. When you toggle an app off, the system asks whether to keep a local copy of your documents — say yes and nothing is lost.
- Documents still saving to iCloud? Check you’re signed into the same Apple ID everywhere, and confirm the toggle actually switched off.
- Need more workarounds? The MacRumors forums have long threads on iCloud Drive quirks with fixes for stubborn cases.
Frequently asked questions
Will turning off iCloud delete my existing documents?
No. You’re asked whether to keep a copy on your device, and your files stay put either way. iCloud copies remain until you delete them manually.
Can I disable iCloud for Pages but keep it for Keynote?
Yes — every app has its own toggle, so mix and match however you like.
Conclusion
It takes less than a minute per device to stop Pages, Numbers, and Keynote from defaulting to iCloud. Toggle the three apps off, choose local locations when saving, and move any existing files — your documents stay yours, on your device.
