---
id: apps.does-moving-an-app-need-the-drive-to-be-set-up-first
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/does-moving-an-app-need-the-drive-to-be-set-up-first
category: "Apps"
subcategory: "Moving apps to your fast drive"
question: "Does my external drive need to be set up before I can move apps?"
alt_questions:
  - "Move button disabled no drive"
  - "Drive is not mounted. Plug in the drive to enable"
  - "Run the Setup Wizard to prep the drive"
  - "Can't move apps — drive not ready"
short_answer: "Yes — the fast drive must be connected and set up by Storage Studio's setup wizard. If it isn't, moving is unavailable until you plug it in or rerun setup from More."
tags: ["external drive", "setup"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/how-do-i-move-an-app-to-an-external-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Does my external drive need to be set up before I can move apps?

Yes. Apps move to the Storage Studio folder on your fast drive, so the drive must be connected and set up first. The setup wizard does this when you pick your drive.

If the drive is unplugged, moving is unavailable and Storage Studio asks you to plug it in. If it's connected but was never prepared, run setup again from the **More** menu. See [external drives](https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/).