---
id: finder-location.is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/is-a-storage-studio-shortcut-the-same-as-a-finder-alias
category: "Finding things in Finder"
subcategory: "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."
tags: ["alias", "symlink", "shortcut"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-is-the-shortcut-left-behind-after-a-move", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/how-do-i-find-the-real-file-behind-a-shortcut", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/finder-location/do-command-line-tools-and-scripts-follow-shortcuts"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

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

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.

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

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.

See [what the shortcut is](https://storagestudio.us/faq/moving-folders/what-is-the-shortcut-left-behind-after-a-move).