External drives · When the drive is unplugged
What happens to folders I moved to the external drive when it's unplugged?
Short answer: They can't be opened until the drive is back — the shortcut on your Mac points to the drive. Everything is safe there and works again the moment you reconnect. Move a folder back first if you'll need it away from the drive.
They aren't reachable until the drive is reconnected. The folder's contents live on the drive, and the shortcut left in the original place leads nowhere while the drive is away — Finder shows it but can't open it. Everything is still safe on the drive.
Plug the drive back in and the shortcut works again, with no action needed. If you need certain files while away from the drive, move that folder back first (Storage Inspector or Data Parking), or copy what you need.