{"id":"data-transfers.mirror-a-folder-to-my-external-drive-nightly","url":"/faq/data-transfers/mirror-a-folder-to-my-external-drive-nightly","category":{"id":"data-transfers","title":"Data Transfers"},"subcategory":{"id":"scheduling","title":"Scheduling transfers"},"question":"How do I keep a folder mirrored to my external drive every night?","alt_questions":["nightly sync to external drive mac","automatic copy to external SSD every day","mirror Documents to external drive","daily folder sync mac","keep an up-to-date copy on my drive"],"short_answer":"Create a Sync (one-way) from the Mac folder to an empty folder on the drive with a Daily schedule. Each run sends only changes; if the drive is unplugged the run waits and starts when you connect it.","answer_markdown":"Set up a scheduled one-way sync:\n\n1. **New Transfer** → **Sync (one-way)**.\n2. **Source**: the folder on your Mac. **Destination**: an empty folder on your external drive, used only for this.\n3. **Schedule**: **Daily**, at a time your Mac is usually on — Storage Studio needs to be running.\n4. Turn on **Dry run** the first time if you want to preview, then set it up for real.\n\nEach night the drive copy is brought up to date, sending only what changed. If the drive isn't plugged in, the run waits as *Waiting for drive* and starts when you connect it.\n\nRelated: [Schedule a transfer](/faq/data-transfers/schedule-a-recurring-transfer) · [Is a transfer a backup?](/faq/data-transfers/data-transfers-vs-data-backup)","answer_html":"

Set up a scheduled one-way sync:

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  1. New Transfer → Sync (one-way).
  2. Source: the folder on your Mac. Destination: an empty folder on your external drive, used only for this.
  3. Schedule: Daily, at a time your Mac is usually on — Storage Studio needs to be running.
  4. Turn on Dry run the first time if you want to preview, then set it up for real.
\n

Each night the drive copy is brought up to date, sending only what changed. If the drive isn't plugged in, the run waits as Waiting for drive and starts when you connect it.

\n

Related: Schedule a transfer · Is a transfer a backup?

","answer_text":"Set up a scheduled one-way sync:\n\n1. New Transfer → Sync (one-way).\n2. Source: the folder on your Mac. Destination: an empty folder on your external drive, used only for this.\n3. Schedule: Daily, at a time your Mac is usually on — Storage Studio needs to be running.\n4. Turn on Dry run the first time if you want to preview, then set it up for real.\n\nEach night the drive copy is brought up to date, sending only what changed. If the drive isn't plugged in, the run waits as Waiting for drive and starts when you connect it.\n\nRelated: Schedule a transfer · Is a transfer a backup?","tags":["schedule","external drive","mirror"],"related":[{"id":"data-transfers.schedule-a-recurring-transfer","question":"How do I schedule a transfer to run automatically?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/schedule-a-recurring-transfer"},{"id":"data-transfers.data-transfers-vs-data-backup","question":"Is a scheduled transfer the same as a backup?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/data-transfers-vs-data-backup"},{"id":"data-transfers.what-does-waiting-for-drive-mean","question":"What does “Waiting for drive” mean on a transfer?","url":"/faq/data-transfers/what-does-waiting-for-drive-mean"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I keep a folder mirrored to my external drive every night? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Create a Sync (one-way) from the Mac folder to an empty folder on the drive with a Daily schedule. Each run sends only changes; if the drive is unplugged the run waits and starts when you connect it.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Data Transfers","path":"/faq/data-transfers/"},{"name":"How do I keep a folder mirrored to my external drive every night?","path":"/faq/data-transfers/mirror-a-folder-to-my-external-drive-nightly"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/mirror-a-folder-to-my-external-drive-nightly","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I keep a folder mirrored to my external drive every night?","alternateName":["nightly sync to external drive mac","automatic copy to external SSD every day","mirror Documents to external drive","daily folder sync mac","keep an up-to-date copy on my drive"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Set up a scheduled one-way sync:\n\n1. New Transfer → Sync (one-way).\n2. Source: the folder on your Mac. Destination: an empty folder on your external drive, used only for this.\n3. Schedule: Daily, at a time your Mac is usually on — Storage Studio needs to be running.\n4. Turn on Dry run the first time if you want to preview, then set it up for real.\n\nEach night the drive copy is brought up to date, sending only what changed. If the drive isn't plugged in, the run waits as Waiting for drive and starts when you connect it.\n\nRelated: Schedule a transfer · Is a transfer a backup?","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/data-transfers/mirror-a-folder-to-my-external-drive-nightly"}}]},"fragment":"
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Data Transfers · Scheduling transfers

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How do I keep a folder mirrored to my external drive every night?

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Short answer: Create a Sync (one-way) from the Mac folder to an empty folder on the drive with a Daily schedule. Each run sends only changes; if the drive is unplugged the run waits and starts when you connect it.

\n

Set up a scheduled one-way sync:

\n
  1. New Transfer → Sync (one-way).
  2. Source: the folder on your Mac. Destination: an empty folder on your external drive, used only for this.
  3. Schedule: Daily, at a time your Mac is usually on — Storage Studio needs to be running.
  4. Turn on Dry run the first time if you want to preview, then set it up for real.
\n

Each night the drive copy is brought up to date, sending only what changed. If the drive isn't plugged in, the run waits as Waiting for drive and starts when you connect it.

\n

Related: Schedule a transfer · Is a transfer a backup?

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Last reviewed

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