{"id":"finder-location.is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias","url":"/faq/finder-location/is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias","category":{"id":"finder-location","title":"Finding things in Finder"},"subcategory":{"id":"shortcuts","title":"The shortcut left behind"},"question":"Is Storage Studio's shortcut the same as a Finder alias?","alt_questions":["Is it an alias or a symlink?","What kind of link does Storage Studio create?","Difference between Finder alias and Storage Studio shortcut","Does Storage Studio use aliases?","alias vs symbolic link storage studio"],"short_answer":"Not quite. A Finder alias is mostly understood by Finder, while Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool follows automatically. In Finder both show a curved arrow and support Show Original.","answer_markdown":"Not quite. Finder aliases are understood mostly by Finder itself, so many apps and command-line tools treat them as plain files. Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool on your Mac follows automatically — which is why build tools, editors and backup software keep working with relocated folders.\n\nIn Finder they look the same — an icon with a small curved arrow — and **File → Show Original** works on both.\n\nYou don't need to do anything differently with them. Just let Storage Studio create and remove them, rather than making your own copies with **Make Alias** for things it manages.\n\nSee [what the shortcut is](/faq/moving-folders/what-is-the-shortcut-left-behind-after-a-move).","answer_html":"

Not quite. Finder aliases are understood mostly by Finder itself, so many apps and command-line tools treat them as plain files. Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool on your Mac follows automatically — which is why build tools, editors and backup software keep working with relocated folders.

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In Finder they look the same — an icon with a small curved arrow — and File → Show Original works on both.

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You don't need to do anything differently with them. Just let Storage Studio create and remove them, rather than making your own copies with Make Alias for things it manages.

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See what the shortcut is.

","answer_text":"Not quite. Finder aliases are understood mostly by Finder itself, so many apps and command-line tools treat them as plain files. Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool on your Mac follows automatically — which is why build tools, editors and backup software keep working with relocated folders.\n\nIn Finder they look the same — an icon with a small curved arrow — and File → Show Original works on both.\n\nYou don't need to do anything differently with them. Just let Storage Studio create and remove them, rather than making your own copies with Make Alias for things it manages.\n\nSee what the shortcut is.","tags":["alias","symlink","shortcut"],"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.do-command-line-tools-and-scripts-follow-shortcuts","question":"Do Terminal, scripts and developer tools work with folders Storage Studio has moved?","url":"/faq/finder-location/do-command-line-tools-and-scripts-follow-shortcuts"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"Is Storage Studio's shortcut the same as a Finder alias? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Not quite. A Finder alias is mostly understood by Finder, while Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool follows automatically. In Finder both show a curved arrow and support Show Original.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Finding things in Finder","path":"/faq/finder-location/"},{"name":"Is Storage Studio's shortcut the same as a Finder alias?","path":"/faq/finder-location/is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Storage Studio's shortcut the same as a Finder alias?","alternateName":["Is it an alias or a symlink?","What kind of link does Storage Studio create?","Difference between Finder alias and Storage Studio shortcut","Does Storage Studio use aliases?","alias vs symbolic link storage studio"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Not quite. Finder aliases are understood mostly by Finder itself, so many apps and command-line tools treat them as plain files. Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool on your Mac follows automatically — which is why build tools, editors and backup software keep working with relocated folders.\n\nIn Finder they look the same — an icon with a small curved arrow — and File → Show Original works on both.\n\nYou don't need to do anything differently with them. Just let Storage Studio create and remove them, rather than making your own copies with Make Alias for things it manages.\n\nSee what the shortcut is.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias"}}]},"fragment":"
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Finding things in Finder · The shortcut left behind

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Is Storage Studio's shortcut the same as a Finder alias?

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Short answer: Not quite. A Finder alias is mostly understood by Finder, while Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool follows automatically. In Finder both show a curved arrow and support Show Original.

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Not quite. Finder aliases are understood mostly by Finder itself, so many apps and command-line tools treat them as plain files. Storage Studio leaves a system-level link that every app and tool on your Mac follows automatically — which is why build tools, editors and backup software keep working with relocated folders.

\n

In Finder they look the same — an icon with a small curved arrow — and File → Show Original works on both.

\n

You don't need to do anything differently with them. Just let Storage Studio create and remove them, rather than making your own copies with Make Alias for things it manages.

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See what the shortcut is.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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