{"id":"external-drives.how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive","url":"/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive","category":{"id":"external-drives","title":"External drives"},"subcategory":{"id":"upgrading-and-copying","title":"Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive"},"question":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?","alt_questions":["Upgrade fast drive Storage Studio","Switch to a bigger external SSD","Replace my external drive without breaking shortcuts","migrate storage studio to new ssd","Move moved apps and folders to another drive","How do I change my fast drive?"],"short_answer":"Use More → Drive → Transfer Drive…. It copies everything to the new drive, verifies it, then re-points every moved app and folder at the new drive. Your old drive is left untouched as a fallback.","answer_markdown":"Use **Transfer Drive…** in the popover's **More → Drive** section. It copies everything on your current drive to the new one, verifies the copy, then switches over — re-pointing every moved app and folder at the new drive and making it the active one.\n\n1. Plug in both drives and open **Transfer Drive…**.\n2. Pick the new drive; Storage Studio checks it and runs a quick speed test.\n3. Start the copy and watch progress (or close the window — it keeps going).\n4. When the copy is verified, Storage Studio inspects it and switches over, asking once for your administrator password if any shortcuts are in protected places.\n\nYour old drive is never modified or deleted — it stays as a complete fallback.","answer_html":"

Use Transfer Drive… in the popover's More → Drive section. It copies everything on your current drive to the new one, verifies the copy, then switches over — re-pointing every moved app and folder at the new drive and making it the active one.

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  1. Plug in both drives and open Transfer Drive….
  2. Pick the new drive; Storage Studio checks it and runs a quick speed test.
  3. Start the copy and watch progress (or close the window — it keeps going).
  4. When the copy is verified, Storage Studio inspects it and switches over, asking once for your administrator password if any shortcuts are in protected places.
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Your old drive is never modified or deleted — it stays as a complete fallback.

","answer_text":"Use Transfer Drive… in the popover's More → Drive section. It copies everything on your current drive to the new one, verifies the copy, then switches over — re-pointing every moved app and folder at the new drive and making it the active one.\n\n1. Plug in both drives and open Transfer Drive….\n2. Pick the new drive; Storage Studio checks it and runs a quick speed test.\n3. Start the copy and watch progress (or close the window — it keeps going).\n4. When the copy is verified, Storage Studio inspects it and switches over, asking once for your administrator password if any shortcuts are in protected places.\n\nYour old drive is never modified or deleted — it stays as a complete fallback.","tags":["transfer drive","upgrade","new drive"],"related":[{"id":"external-drives.transfer-drive-vs-backup-drive","question":"What's the difference between Transfer Drive and Backup Drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-vs-backup-drive"},{"id":"external-drives.what-checks-run-before-transfer-drive-starts","question":"Why won't Transfer Drive or Backup Drive let me pick a drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/what-checks-run-before-transfer-drive-starts"},{"id":"external-drives.can-i-use-my-mac-during-a-drive-transfer","question":"Can I close Storage Studio or use my Mac while a drive transfer runs?","url":"/faq/external-drives/can-i-use-my-mac-during-a-drive-transfer"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Use More → Drive → Transfer Drive…. It copies everything to the new drive, verifies it, then re-points every moved app and folder at the new drive. Your old drive is left untouched as a fallback.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"External drives","path":"/faq/external-drives/"},{"name":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?","path":"/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?","alternateName":["Upgrade fast drive Storage Studio","Switch to a bigger external SSD","Replace my external drive without breaking shortcuts","migrate storage studio to new ssd","Move moved apps and folders to another drive","How do I change my fast drive?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Use Transfer Drive… in the popover's More → Drive section. It copies everything on your current drive to the new one, verifies the copy, then switches over — re-pointing every moved app and folder at the new drive and making it the active one.\n\n1. Plug in both drives and open Transfer Drive….\n2. Pick the new drive; Storage Studio checks it and runs a quick speed test.\n3. Start the copy and watch progress (or close the window — it keeps going).\n4. When the copy is verified, Storage Studio inspects it and switches over, asking once for your administrator password if any shortcuts are in protected places.\n\nYour old drive is never modified or deleted — it stays as a complete fallback.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive"}}]},"fragment":"
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External drives · Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive

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How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?

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Short answer: Use More → Drive → Transfer Drive…. It copies everything to the new drive, verifies it, then re-points every moved app and folder at the new drive. Your old drive is left untouched as a fallback.

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Use Transfer Drive… in the popover's More → Drive section. It copies everything on your current drive to the new one, verifies the copy, then switches over — re-pointing every moved app and folder at the new drive and making it the active one.

\n
  1. Plug in both drives and open Transfer Drive….
  2. Pick the new drive; Storage Studio checks it and runs a quick speed test.
  3. Start the copy and watch progress (or close the window — it keeps going).
  4. When the copy is verified, Storage Studio inspects it and switches over, asking once for your administrator password if any shortcuts are in protected places.
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Your old drive is never modified or deleted — it stays as a complete fallback.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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