{"id":"external-drives.why-does-transfer-drive-ask-for-my-password","url":"/faq/external-drives/why-does-transfer-drive-ask-for-my-password","category":{"id":"external-drives","title":"External drives"},"subcategory":{"id":"upgrading-and-copying","title":"Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive"},"question":"Why does Transfer Drive ask for my administrator password?","alt_questions":["Admin password at the end of drive transfer","Transfer Drive password prompt","Do I have to enter my password to switch drives?","What if I decline the password?","storage studio admin password transfer","Why does switching drives need admin rights?"],"short_answer":"Some shortcuts it must update — such as moved apps in your Applications folder — are protected, so macOS needs your administrator password once. If you decline, nothing switches and your current drive stays active.","answer_markdown":"Switching over means updating the shortcuts that lead to your moved items, and some of them may be in protected places — for example apps you moved out of your Applications folder. macOS requires an administrator password to change those, so Storage Studio asks **once** at the end.\n\nIf you decline, or the final check finds a problem, nothing is switched: your current drive stays active and everything keeps working as before. The new drive keeps its verified copy, so you can try again later.","answer_html":"

Switching over means updating the shortcuts that lead to your moved items, and some of them may be in protected places — for example apps you moved out of your Applications folder. macOS requires an administrator password to change those, so Storage Studio asks once at the end.

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If you decline, or the final check finds a problem, nothing is switched: your current drive stays active and everything keeps working as before. The new drive keeps its verified copy, so you can try again later.

","answer_text":"Switching over means updating the shortcuts that lead to your moved items, and some of them may be in protected places — for example apps you moved out of your Applications folder. macOS requires an administrator password to change those, so Storage Studio asks once at the end.\n\nIf you decline, or the final check finds a problem, nothing is switched: your current drive stays active and everything keeps working as before. The new drive keeps its verified copy, so you can try again later.","tags":["administrator password","transfer drive","permissions"],"related":[{"id":"external-drives.how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive","question":"How do I move everything to a new, bigger external drive?","url":"/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-move-everything-to-a-new-external-drive"},{"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"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Why does Transfer Drive ask for my administrator password? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Some shortcuts it must update — such as moved apps in your Applications folder — are protected, so macOS needs your administrator password once. If you decline, nothing switches and your current drive stays active.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"External drives","path":"/faq/external-drives/"},{"name":"Why does Transfer Drive ask for my administrator password?","path":"/faq/external-drives/why-does-transfer-drive-ask-for-my-password"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/why-does-transfer-drive-ask-for-my-password","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Why does Transfer Drive ask for my administrator password?","alternateName":["Admin password at the end of drive transfer","Transfer Drive password prompt","Do I have to enter my password to switch drives?","What if I decline the password?","storage studio admin password transfer","Why does switching drives need admin rights?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Switching over means updating the shortcuts that lead to your moved items, and some of them may be in protected places — for example apps you moved out of your Applications folder. macOS requires an administrator password to change those, so Storage Studio asks once at the end.\n\nIf you decline, or the final check finds a problem, nothing is switched: your current drive stays active and everything keeps working as before. The new drive keeps its verified copy, so you can try again later.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/why-does-transfer-drive-ask-for-my-password"}}]},"fragment":"
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External drives · Upgrading, transferring and backing up the drive

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Why does Transfer Drive ask for my administrator password?

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Short answer: Some shortcuts it must update — such as moved apps in your Applications folder — are protected, so macOS needs your administrator password once. If you decline, nothing switches and your current drive stays active.

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Switching over means updating the shortcuts that lead to your moved items, and some of them may be in protected places — for example apps you moved out of your Applications folder. macOS requires an administrator password to change those, so Storage Studio asks once at the end.

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If you decline, or the final check finds a problem, nothing is switched: your current drive stays active and everything keeps working as before. The new drive keeps its verified copy, so you can try again later.

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