{"id":"apps.how-much-space-does-offloading-free","url":"/faq/apps/how-much-space-does-offloading-free","category":{"id":"apps","title":"Apps"},"subcategory":{"id":"offloading","title":"Offloading and restoring apps"},"question":"How much space does offloading an app free?","alt_questions":["Space saved by offloading","Offload frees app and data size","Why does offload free more than move?"],"short_answer":"The app's size plus its data, because both leave your built-in drive — more than Move, which relocates only the app.","answer_markdown":"The app's size **plus** its data — support files, caches and the like — because both leave your built-in drive. That's why Offload frees more than Move, which only relocates the app.\n\nIf macOS protected a few items and they had to stay, those aren't counted. The Offloaded tab shows how much space each archive uses on the drive.","answer_html":"

The app's size plus its data — support files, caches and the like — because both leave your built-in drive. That's why Offload frees more than Move, which only relocates the app.

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If macOS protected a few items and they had to stay, those aren't counted. The Offloaded tab shows how much space each archive uses on the drive.

","answer_text":"The app's size plus its data — support files, caches and the like — because both leave your built-in drive. That's why Offload frees more than Move, which only relocates the app.\n\nIf macOS protected a few items and they had to stay, those aren't counted. The Offloaded tab shows how much space each archive uses on the drive.","tags":["offload","space"],"related":[{"id":"apps.what-is-the-difference-between-move-and-offload","question":"What's the difference between moving and offloading an app?","url":"/faq/apps/what-is-the-difference-between-move-and-offload"},{"id":"apps.how-much-space-does-moving-an-app-free","question":"How much space does moving an app free up?","url":"/faq/apps/how-much-space-does-moving-an-app-free"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How much space does offloading an app free? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"The app's size plus its data, because both leave your built-in drive — more than Move, which relocates only the app.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Apps","path":"/faq/apps/"},{"name":"How much space does offloading an app free?","path":"/faq/apps/how-much-space-does-offloading-free"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/how-much-space-does-offloading-free","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How much space does offloading an app free?","alternateName":["Space saved by offloading","Offload frees app and data size","Why does offload free more than move?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The app's size plus its data — support files, caches and the like — because both leave your built-in drive. That's why Offload frees more than Move, which only relocates the app.\n\nIf macOS protected a few items and they had to stay, those aren't counted. The Offloaded tab shows how much space each archive uses on the drive.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/how-much-space-does-offloading-free"}}]},"fragment":"
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Apps · Offloading and restoring apps

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How much space does offloading an app free?

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Short answer: The app's size plus its data, because both leave your built-in drive — more than Move, which relocates only the app.

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The app's size plus its data — support files, caches and the like — because both leave your built-in drive. That's why Offload frees more than Move, which only relocates the app.

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If macOS protected a few items and they had to stay, those aren't counted. The Offloaded tab shows how much space each archive uses on the drive.

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Last reviewed

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