{"id":"comparisons.storage-studio-location-vs-finder-connect-to-server","url":"/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-location-vs-finder-connect-to-server","category":{"id":"comparisons","title":"Comparisons & alternatives"},"subcategory":{"id":"built-in-macos","title":"macOS's own storage tools"},"question":"Is the Storage Studio location in Finder like using Finder's Connect to Server?","alt_questions":["connect to server vs storage studio finder","storage studio drive in finder sidebar network share","is storage studio cloud drive an smb share","finder locations storage studio vs mounted server","how does storage studio show cloud accounts in finder"],"short_answer":"Connect to Server mounts a file server's share as a volume. Storage Studio adds a Finder Location with your connected cloud accounts as folders, files online-only until opened, read and write, present while the app runs.","answer_markdown":"They look similar in Finder but work differently. **Connect to Server** mounts a share from a file server — usually on your network — as a volume you eject when you're done.\n\nStorage Studio adds a **Storage Studio** entry to Finder's **Locations** sidebar, next to iCloud Drive and other cloud drives, with each connected account (and your external drive's working folder) as a folder inside. It isn't a mounted network volume:\n\n- files show as online-only until you open them, then download on demand;\n- you can open, edit, rename, move and delete cloud files right in Finder, and changes sync to the account;\n- your external drive's working folder appears **read-only** there, so relocated apps can't be broken by accident;\n- it appears while Storage Studio is running and disappears when you quit it.\n\nYou can choose which accounts appear in the **Mounting** tab. See [Finding things in Finder](/faq/finder-location/).","answer_html":"

They look similar in Finder but work differently. Connect to Server mounts a share from a file server — usually on your network — as a volume you eject when you're done.

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Storage Studio adds a Storage Studio entry to Finder's Locations sidebar, next to iCloud Drive and other cloud drives, with each connected account (and your external drive's working folder) as a folder inside. It isn't a mounted network volume:

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You can choose which accounts appear in the Mounting tab. See Finding things in Finder.

","answer_text":"They look similar in Finder but work differently. Connect to Server mounts a share from a file server — usually on your network — as a volume you eject when you're done.\n\nStorage Studio adds a Storage Studio entry to Finder's Locations sidebar, next to iCloud Drive and other cloud drives, with each connected account (and your external drive's working folder) as a folder inside. It isn't a mounted network volume:\n\n- files show as online-only until you open them, then download on demand;\n- you can open, edit, rename, move and delete cloud files right in Finder, and changes sync to the account;\n- your external drive's working folder appears read-only there, so relocated apps can't be broken by accident;\n- it appears while Storage Studio is running and disappears when you quit it.\n\nYou can choose which accounts appear in the Mounting tab. See Finding things in Finder.","tags":["finder","cloud drive","network"],"related":[{"id":"comparisons.cloud-mounting-apps-vs-storage-studio","question":"Do I need a separate app to show my cloud storage as a drive in Finder?","url":"/faq/comparisons/cloud-mounting-apps-vs-storage-studio"},{"id":"comparisons.storage-studio-vs-macos-storage-settings","question":"How is Storage Studio different from the Storage section in macOS System Settings?","url":"/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-vs-macos-storage-settings"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Is the Storage Studio location in Finder like using Finder's Connect to Server? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Connect to Server mounts a file server's share as a volume. Storage Studio adds a Finder Location with your connected cloud accounts as folders, files online-only until opened, read and write, present while the app runs.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Comparisons & alternatives","path":"/faq/comparisons/"},{"name":"Is the Storage Studio location in Finder like using Finder's Connect to Server?","path":"/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-location-vs-finder-connect-to-server"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-location-vs-finder-connect-to-server","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the Storage Studio location in Finder like using Finder's Connect to Server?","alternateName":["connect to server vs storage studio finder","storage studio drive in finder sidebar network share","is storage studio cloud drive an smb share","finder locations storage studio vs mounted server","how does storage studio show cloud accounts in finder"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"They look similar in Finder but work differently. Connect to Server mounts a share from a file server — usually on your network — as a volume you eject when you're done.\n\nStorage Studio adds a Storage Studio entry to Finder's Locations sidebar, next to iCloud Drive and other cloud drives, with each connected account (and your external drive's working folder) as a folder inside. It isn't a mounted network volume:\n\n- files show as online-only until you open them, then download on demand;\n- you can open, edit, rename, move and delete cloud files right in Finder, and changes sync to the account;\n- your external drive's working folder appears read-only there, so relocated apps can't be broken by accident;\n- it appears while Storage Studio is running and disappears when you quit it.\n\nYou can choose which accounts appear in the Mounting tab. See Finding things in Finder.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/comparisons/storage-studio-location-vs-finder-connect-to-server"}}]},"fragment":"
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Comparisons & alternatives · macOS's own storage tools

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Is the Storage Studio location in Finder like using Finder's Connect to Server?

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Short answer: Connect to Server mounts a file server's share as a volume. Storage Studio adds a Finder Location with your connected cloud accounts as folders, files online-only until opened, read and write, present while the app runs.

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They look similar in Finder but work differently. Connect to Server mounts a share from a file server — usually on your network — as a volume you eject when you're done.

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Storage Studio adds a Storage Studio entry to Finder's Locations sidebar, next to iCloud Drive and other cloud drives, with each connected account (and your external drive's working folder) as a folder inside. It isn't a mounted network volume:

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  • files show as online-only until you open them, then download on demand;
  • you can open, edit, rename, move and delete cloud files right in Finder, and changes sync to the account;
  • your external drive's working folder appears read-only there, so relocated apps can't be broken by accident;
  • it appears while Storage Studio is running and disappears when you quit it.
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You can choose which accounts appear in the Mounting tab. See Finding things in Finder.

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Last reviewed

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