{"id":"finder-location.how-do-i-recognise-a-moved-item-in-finder","url":"/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-recognise-a-moved-item-in-finder","category":{"id":"finder-location","title":"Finding things in Finder"},"subcategory":{"id":"shortcuts","title":"The shortcut left behind"},"question":"How can I tell in Finder which files or folders have been moved to my external drive?","alt_questions":["How do I know which files are on the external drive in Finder?","What does the little arrow on a Finder icon mean after a move?","finder arrow icon moved folder","How do I spot relocated items in Finder?","Which of my files are shortcuts now?","Why does a folder icon have a curved arrow on it?"],"short_answer":"Moved items stay in their usual place but show a small curved arrow on their Finder icon. For a full list, open What's Using Space and click Relocated (N); moved apps are in the Apps window's Moved tab.","answer_markdown":"Moved items keep their place in Finder but show a small curved arrow on their icon — Finder's mark for a shortcut. The arrow means the item opens from your external drive.\n\nFor the full picture, Storage Studio keeps the list for you:\n\n1. Open **What's Using Space** (the Storage Inspector).\n2. Click **Relocated (N)** in the header.\n3. Each row shows the folder, where it came from, when it moved, and a **Reveal in Finder** button for the copy on your drive.\n\nMoved apps are listed separately in the **Moved** tab of the Apps window.\n\nSee [Finding the original of a shortcut](/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut) and [What's Using Space](/manual/whats-using-space).","answer_html":"

Moved items keep their place in Finder but show a small curved arrow on their icon — Finder's mark for a shortcut. The arrow means the item opens from your external drive.

\n

For the full picture, Storage Studio keeps the list for you:

\n
  1. Open What's Using Space (the Storage Inspector).
  2. Click Relocated (N) in the header.
  3. Each row shows the folder, where it came from, when it moved, and a Reveal in Finder button for the copy on your drive.
\n

Moved apps are listed separately in the Moved tab of the Apps window.

\n

See Finding the original of a shortcut and What's Using Space.

","answer_text":"Moved items keep their place in Finder but show a small curved arrow on their icon — Finder's mark for a shortcut. The arrow means the item opens from your external drive.\n\nFor the full picture, Storage Studio keeps the list for you:\n\n1. Open What's Using Space (the Storage Inspector).\n2. Click Relocated (N) in the header.\n3. Each row shows the folder, where it came from, when it moved, and a Reveal in Finder button for the copy on your drive.\n\nMoved apps are listed separately in the Moved tab of the Apps window.\n\nSee Finding the original of a shortcut and What's Using Space.","tags":["finder","shortcut","relocated"],"related":[{"id":"moving-folders.what-is-the-shortcut-left-behind-after-a-move","question":"What is the shortcut Storage Studio leaves behind after a move?","url":"/faq/moving-folders/what-is-the-shortcut-left-behind-after-a-move"},{"id":"finder-location.how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut","question":"How do I find the real file on my external drive behind a shortcut?","url":"/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut"},{"id":"finder-location.where-do-i-see-everything-storage-studio-has-moved","question":"Where can I see a list of everything Storage Studio has moved to my drive?","url":"/faq/finder-location/where-do-i-see-everything-storage-studio-has-moved"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"How can I tell in Finder which files or folders have been moved to my external drive? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Moved items stay in their usual place but show a small curved arrow on their Finder icon. For a full list, open What's Using Space and click Relocated (N); moved apps are in the Apps window's Moved tab.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Finding things in Finder","path":"/faq/finder-location/"},{"name":"How can I tell in Finder which files or folders have been moved to my external drive?","path":"/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-recognise-a-moved-item-in-finder"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-recognise-a-moved-item-in-finder","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"How can I tell in Finder which files or folders have been moved to my external drive?","alternateName":["How do I know which files are on the external drive in Finder?","What does the little arrow on a Finder icon mean after a move?","finder arrow icon moved folder","How do I spot relocated items in Finder?","Which of my files are shortcuts now?","Why does a folder icon have a curved arrow on it?"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Moved items keep their place in Finder but show a small curved arrow on their icon — Finder's mark for a shortcut. The arrow means the item opens from your external drive.\n\nFor the full picture, Storage Studio keeps the list for you:\n\n1. Open What's Using Space (the Storage Inspector).\n2. Click Relocated (N) in the header.\n3. Each row shows the folder, where it came from, when it moved, and a Reveal in Finder button for the copy on your drive.\n\nMoved apps are listed separately in the Moved tab of the Apps window.\n\nSee Finding the original of a shortcut and What's Using Space.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-recognise-a-moved-item-in-finder"}}]},"fragment":"
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Finding things in Finder · The shortcut left behind

\n

How can I tell in Finder which files or folders have been moved to my external drive?

\n

Short answer: Moved items stay in their usual place but show a small curved arrow on their Finder icon. For a full list, open What's Using Space and click Relocated (N); moved apps are in the Apps window's Moved tab.

\n

Moved items keep their place in Finder but show a small curved arrow on their icon — Finder's mark for a shortcut. The arrow means the item opens from your external drive.

\n

For the full picture, Storage Studio keeps the list for you:

\n
  1. Open What's Using Space (the Storage Inspector).
  2. Click Relocated (N) in the header.
  3. Each row shows the folder, where it came from, when it moved, and a Reveal in Finder button for the copy on your drive.
\n

Moved apps are listed separately in the Moved tab of the Apps window.

\n

See Finding the original of a shortcut and What's Using Space.

\n\n

Last reviewed

\n\n

Related questions

\n

Also available as Markdown and JSON.

\n
"}