{"id":"apps.what-does-offload-do","url":"/faq/apps/what-does-offload-do","category":{"id":"apps","title":"Apps"},"subcategory":{"id":"offloading","title":"Offloading and restoring apps"},"question":"What does Offload do to an app?","alt_questions":["Offload app Mac Storage Studio","Archive an app to external drive","What is offloading an app?","Reinstallable uninstall","Offload button in Apps window"],"short_answer":"Offload archives an app and its data to your fast drive and removes both from your Mac, freeing the most space. The app won't run until you restore it from the Offloaded tab.","answer_markdown":"**Offload** archives an app **and its data** onto your fast drive and removes both from your Mac's built-in drive — like uninstalling, except you can put it back exactly as it was. It frees the most space of any option, but the app can't run until you restore it.\n\nNothing is deleted: everything is copied and checked before the originals are removed, so it's never left half-done. Restore it any time from the **Offloaded** tab while the drive is connected. Compare with [Move](/faq/apps/what-is-the-difference-between-move-and-offload).","answer_html":"

Offload archives an app and its data onto your fast drive and removes both from your Mac's built-in drive — like uninstalling, except you can put it back exactly as it was. It frees the most space of any option, but the app can't run until you restore it.

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Nothing is deleted: everything is copied and checked before the originals are removed, so it's never left half-done. Restore it any time from the Offloaded tab while the drive is connected. Compare with Move.

","answer_text":"Offload archives an app and its data onto your fast drive and removes both from your Mac's built-in drive — like uninstalling, except you can put it back exactly as it was. It frees the most space of any option, but the app can't run until you restore it.\n\nNothing is deleted: everything is copied and checked before the originals are removed, so it's never left half-done. Restore it any time from the Offloaded tab while the drive is connected. Compare with Move.","tags":["offload","free up 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-do-i-restore-an-offloaded-app","question":"How do I restore an app I offloaded?","url":"/faq/apps/how-do-i-restore-an-offloaded-app"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What does Offload do to an app? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Offload archives an app and its data to your fast drive and removes both from your Mac, freeing the most space. The app won't run until you restore it from the Offloaded tab.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Apps","path":"/faq/apps/"},{"name":"What does Offload do to an app?","path":"/faq/apps/what-does-offload-do"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/what-does-offload-do","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does Offload do to an app?","alternateName":["Offload app Mac Storage Studio","Archive an app to external drive","What is offloading an app?","Reinstallable uninstall","Offload button in Apps window"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Offload archives an app and its data onto your fast drive and removes both from your Mac's built-in drive — like uninstalling, except you can put it back exactly as it was. It frees the most space of any option, but the app can't run until you restore it.\n\nNothing is deleted: everything is copied and checked before the originals are removed, so it's never left half-done. Restore it any time from the Offloaded tab while the drive is connected. Compare with Move.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/apps/what-does-offload-do"}}]},"fragment":"
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Apps · Offloading and restoring apps

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What does Offload do to an app?

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Short answer: Offload archives an app and its data to your fast drive and removes both from your Mac, freeing the most space. The app won't run until you restore it from the Offloaded tab.

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Offload archives an app and its data onto your fast drive and removes both from your Mac's built-in drive — like uninstalling, except you can put it back exactly as it was. It frees the most space of any option, but the app can't run until you restore it.

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Nothing is deleted: everything is copied and checked before the originals are removed, so it's never left half-done. Restore it any time from the Offloaded tab while the drive is connected. Compare with Move.

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