{"id":"backups.can-storage-studio-see-my-backups","url":"/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups","category":{"id":"backups","title":"Backups & restore points"},"subcategory":{"id":"encryption-passphrase","title":"Encryption and passphrases"},"question":"Can Storage Studio see what's in my backups?","alt_questions":["Do you have access to my backed up files?","Does my backup go through your servers?","Who can read my Data Backup?","Is Data Backup private from Storage Studio?"],"short_answer":"No. Backups to your own drive or cloud account go directly from your Mac to that destination, not through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac and we never have your passphrase.","answer_markdown":"No. When you back up to your own drive or your own cloud account, the backup goes straight from your Mac to that destination — it doesn't pass through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac first, and we never have your passphrase.\n\nThat's also why we can't recover a lost passphrase or open a backup for you. For what the app does send, see [privacy and safety](/faq/privacy-safety/).","answer_html":"<p>No. When you back up to your own drive or your own cloud account, the backup goes straight from your Mac to that destination — it doesn&#39;t pass through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac first, and we never have your passphrase.</p>\n<p>That&#39;s also why we can&#39;t recover a lost passphrase or open a backup for you. For what the app does send, see <a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">privacy and safety</a>.</p>","answer_text":"No. When you back up to your own drive or your own cloud account, the backup goes straight from your Mac to that destination — it doesn't pass through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac first, and we never have your passphrase.\n\nThat's also why we can't recover a lost passphrase or open a backup for you. For what the app does send, see privacy and safety.","tags":["privacy","encryption"],"related":[{"id":"backups.are-my-cloud-backups-encrypted","question":"Are my cloud backups encrypted?","url":"/faq/backups/are-my-cloud-backups-encrypted"},{"id":"backups.what-happens-if-i-lose-my-backup-passphrase","question":"What happens if I lose my backup passphrase?","url":"/faq/backups/what-happens-if-i-lose-my-backup-passphrase"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Can Storage Studio see what's in my backups? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"No. Backups to your own drive or cloud account go directly from your Mac to that destination, not through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac and we never have your passphrase.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Backups & restore points","path":"/faq/backups/"},{"name":"Can Storage Studio see what's in my backups?","path":"/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Can Storage Studio see what's in my backups?","alternateName":["Do you have access to my backed up files?","Does my backup go through your servers?","Who can read my Data Backup?","Is Data Backup private from Storage Studio?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"No. When you back up to your own drive or your own cloud account, the backup goes straight from your Mac to that destination — it doesn't pass through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac first, and we never have your passphrase.\n\nThat's also why we can't recover a lost passphrase or open a backup for you. For what the app does send, see privacy and safety.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups"}}]},"fragment":"<div class=\"wrap fl-wrap\"><div class=\"fl-layout\"><aside class=\"fl-side\" aria-label=\"FAQ topics\"><details open><summary>All topics</summary><ul class=\"fl-tree\"><li><a href=\"/faq/getting-started/\">Getting started</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/freeing-space/\">Freeing up space</a> <span>182</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/moving-folders/\">Moving folders</a> <span>144</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/apps/\">Apps</a> <span>146</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/external-drives/\">External drives</a> <span>169</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/finder-location/\">Finding things in Finder</a> <span>70</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/cloud-accounts/\">Cloud accounts</a> <span>158</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/icloud/\">iCloud &amp; iCloud Photos</a> <span>168</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/data-transfers/\">Data Transfers</a> <span>119</span></li><li class=\"fl-open\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/\" aria-current=\"true\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> <span>126</span><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#data-backup-basics\">Data Backup basics</a> <span>15</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#destinations\">Where backups go</a> <span>13</span></li><li class=\"fl-on\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/#encryption-passphrase\">Encryption and passphrases</a> <span>15</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#scheduling\">When backups run</a> <span>16</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#speed-progress\">Speed, progress and the first backup</a> <span>14</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#versions-restore\">Versions and restoring</a> <span>11</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#status-problems\">Status and problems</a> <span>12</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#managing-sets\">Managing backup sets and destinations</a> <span>5</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#backup-strategy\">Time Machine and backup strategy</a> <span>12</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#restore-points\">Restore Points</a> <span>10</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/#self-backup\">Storage Studio&#39;s own settings backup</a> <span>3</span></li></ul></li><li><a href=\"/faq/delta-drive/\">Delta Drive, Delta Trust &amp; My Drive</a> <span>125</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/bridge-devices/\">Bridge &amp; your devices</a> <span>111</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/duplicates/\">Duplicate files</a> <span>74</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/junk-yard/\">Junk Yard</a> <span>113</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/tuhi-assistant/\">Tuhi, your storage assistant</a> <span>105</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/settings/\">Settings &amp; keep-time</a> <span>88</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/performance-battery/\">Performance &amp; battery</a> <span>62</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">Privacy &amp; safety</a> <span>85</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/licensing-payments/\">Licensing &amp; payments</a> <span>131</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/troubleshooting/\">Troubleshooting &amp; messages</a> <span>180</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/comparisons/\">Comparisons &amp; alternatives</a> <span>75</span></li><li><a href=\"/faq/mac-storage-basics/\">Mac storage basics</a> <span>315</span></li></ul></details></aside><div class=\"fl-main\"><nav class=\"fl-crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\"><ol><li><a href=\"/\">Home</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/\">FAQ</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a></li><li aria-current=\"page\">Can Storage Studio see what&#39;s in my backups?</li></ol></nav>\n<form class=\"fl-search\" action=\"/faq/search\" method=\"get\" role=\"search\" data-fl-search>\n<label class=\"fl-visually-hidden\" for=\"fl-q\">Search the FAQ</label>\n<input id=\"fl-q\" type=\"search\" name=\"q\" value=\"\" placeholder=\"Search 2,816 questions…\" autocomplete=\"off\" spellcheck=\"false\">\n<button type=\"submit\">Search</button>\n<div class=\"fl-suggest\" role=\"listbox\" hidden></div>\n</form>\n<article class=\"fl-entry\">\n<p class=\"eyebrow fl-eyebrow\"><a href=\"/faq/backups/\">Backups &amp; restore points</a> · <a href=\"/faq/backups/#encryption-passphrase\">Encryption and passphrases</a></p>\n<h1>Can Storage Studio see what&#39;s in my backups?</h1>\n<p class=\"fl-short\"><strong>Short answer:</strong> No. Backups to your own drive or cloud account go directly from your Mac to that destination, not through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac and we never have your passphrase.</p>\n<div class=\"fl-answer\"><p>No. When you back up to your own drive or your own cloud account, the backup goes straight from your Mac to that destination — it doesn&#39;t pass through our servers. Cloud backups are encrypted on your Mac first, and we never have your passphrase.</p>\n<p>That&#39;s also why we can&#39;t recover a lost passphrase or open a backup for you. For what the app does send, see <a href=\"/faq/privacy-safety/\">privacy and safety</a>.</p></div>\n\n<p class=\"fl-meta\">Last reviewed <time datetime=\"2026-10-01\">October 1, 2026</time></p>\n\n<section class=\"fl-related\"><h2>Related questions</h2><ul><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/are-my-cloud-backups-encrypted\">Are my cloud backups encrypted?</a></li><li><a href=\"/faq/backups/what-happens-if-i-lose-my-backup-passphrase\">What happens if I lose my backup passphrase?</a></li></ul></section>\n<p class=\"fl-formats\">Also available as <a href=\"/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups.md\">Markdown</a> and <a href=\"/faq/backups/can-storage-studio-see-my-backups.json\">JSON</a>.</p>\n</article></div></div></div>"}