---
id: external-drives.what-happens-if-i-cancel-a-drive-transfer
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-happens-if-i-cancel-a-drive-transfer
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive"
question: "What happens if I cancel Transfer Drive or Backup Drive part-way?"
alt_questions:
  - "Cancel drive transfer safe?"
  - "Stop Backup Drive halfway"
  - "Does cancelling delete my files?"
  - "cancel transfer drive storage studio"
  - "Half-finished copy on new drive"
  - "Is my current drive affected if I cancel?"
short_answer: "Cancelling removes the half-finished copy from the new drive only. Your current drive is never touched by Transfer or Backup, so nothing you have is affected. Use Pause if you just want to stop for a while."
tags: ["cancel", "transfer drive", "safety"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/transfer-drive-vs-backup-drive", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-checks-run-before-transfer-drive-starts"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# What happens if I cancel Transfer Drive or Backup Drive part-way?

Cancelling removes the half-finished copy from the **new** drive and leaves your current drive exactly as it was. Transfer and Backup only ever add data to the new drive; nothing on your current drive is touched at any stage, so cancelling can't harm what you already have.

If you only want a breather, use **Pause** instead and resume later.